GENEVA—Alcon, a global leader in eyecare headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, announced a recent initiative—Village de la Vue—that was conducted in a highly visited shopping mall in western Switzerland. As part of World Glaucoma Week, the collaborative community program brought together industry partners and local eyecare experts to make an impact in the community by raising awareness of the importance of regularly going to see an ophthalmologist and the critical issues of glaucoma and dry eye diseases.

More than 50 Alcon associates volunteered their time to help visitors experience a range of activities, from virtual reality kits that helped visitors learn more about their eyes, to educational games designed to raise the importance of regular eye check-ups. The initiative received an overwhelming response from the community, reaching up to 60,000 visitors in the mall.

Eyecare professionals from the Geneva Order of Ophthalmologists, Geneva University Hospital (HUG), and optician volunteers supervised more than 125 glaucoma tests and 200 dry eye tests. During the event, more than 200 people pledged to see their eyecare specialist within a year. Additionally, more than 450 iris images were captured and shared with attendees, courtesy of Alcon.

"We have been honored to stand alongside other eyecare experts for this pilot program, contributing to our efforts of helping people see brilliantly,” commented Raj Narayanan, president, international, at Alcon. “While some countries benefit from stronger health care systems, it's a reality that regular eye check-ups are often overlooked, and by the time issues arise, it can be too late. This initiative not only showcases our incredible collaboration with Geneva's stakeholders but also underscores the importance for proactive measures in maintaining vision health as a fundamental component of overall well-being.”

The event was the result of a collaborative effort among several facets of the eyecare industry, such as Alcon, Haag-Streit and Pro-Lens. In addition to their contributions, opticians, including Alain Afflelou, Acuitis and Visilab, also partnered to ensure the success of the initiative. Together, these collaborative efforts with the support of the Geneva Order of Ophthalmologists and HUG underscore the commitment of the eyecare community to promote vision health and provide valuable resources to the public, according to the company.