A Vision of Hope: How Specsavers Colleagues Are Transforming Eye Care in Kolkata

At Specsavers, caring for our communities

At Specsavers, caring for our communities sits at the heart of everything we do—both at home and across the world. Our longstanding partnership with The Hope Foundation, a charity supporting street and slum communities in Kolkata, India, is one of the most meaningful examples of this commitment.

Over the past eight years, colleagues from across our stores have supported essential, life-changing eyecare services for some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

Award-winning Impact

In October 2024, Specsavers proudly received the Best Corporate Charity Partnership award at the Charities Institute Ireland’s Charity Excellence Awards. This recognised the incredible work carried out in partnership with The Hope Foundation since 2018.

'It’s an honour to have our work recognised… it has been our privilege to play a role in the incredible work happening in Kolkata.' Lisa Walsh, Retail Director at Specsavers Liffey Valley

This award reflects thousands of hours given by volunteers, hundreds of community clinics, and a shared mission: providing access to sight for those who would otherwise go without.

Why Eye Care Matters in Kolkata

There are more than 10 million people living with blindness in India, and the majority of cases are preventable with timely treatment.

For many in Kolkata’s street communities, something as simple as a basic eye test or a pair of glasses can determine whether they’re able to:

• Attend school
• Secure safe employment
• Support their families
• Navigate daily life

The Hope Foundation works to free children and families from lives of poverty and hardship by offering access to healthcare, nutrition, education, rehabilitation, and vital skills training. Specsavers’ support plays a crucial role in strengthening the charity’s blindness eradication programmes and expanding community access to eyecare services.

Specsavers Volunteers on the Ground

At the beginning of 2026, a team of Specsavers colleagues travelled to Kolkata for an eight-day mission delivering eye care across communities and at The Hope Hospital Eye Clinic. Their impact was extraordinary:

• 3,722 patients received eye checks
• 2,804 free pairs of glasses were dispensed
• Many individuals were referred for sight saving surgery at Hope Hospital

For many people seen on the trip, it was their first ever visit to an optician.

'Returning to Kolkata with The Hope Foundation was an incredibly meaningful opportunity… To witness the profound impact of our support firsthand was a privilege.' Lisa Walsh

Real People, Real Lives Changed

During the mission, colleagues met inspiring individuals whose lives were transformed by a simple pair of glasses:

• Samaresh, a 63-year-old shopkeeper, had lived his whole life believing poor sight was “normal”. His new bifocal glasses opened up the world in a way he had never experienced.
• A 38-year-old truck driver with a -4 prescription had been working in dangerous conditions. Receiving the correct lenses instantly improved his safety and ability to earn a living.

These stories represent thousands of people helped through Specsavers-supported clinics, screenings, and surgeries.

Our Long-term Impact So Far

Since the partnership began, Specsavers has helped enable:

• 43,495 eye tests across 239 eye camps
• 27,453 free pairs of glasses
• 2,180 eye surgeries
• 14,003 patients treated in Hope Hospital’s clinic
• 16,512 free medical prescriptions

In 2025 alone, Specsavers colleagues raised €130,000, contributing to a total of €861,785 since 2017. During the 2026 trip, the team presented a cheque for €54,450 to Maureen Forrest, Founder of The Hope Foundation.

'Vision is everything to people… This programme is the difference between life and death for people who can’t feed their families.' Maureen Forrest, Founder of The Hope Foundation

A Partnership We’re Proud Of

From fundraising across our stores to volunteers working on the ground, Specsavers colleagues continue to make a powerful difference in Kolkata. This partnership is a shining example of what happens when people come together with compassion, expertise, and a shared belief that everyone deserves the gift of sight.

If you’re inspired by this work and want to grow your career somewhere that makes a meaningful impact, explore opportunities at Specsavers and join a team changing lives every day.