Jan. 4, 2023 — Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) has shared perspectives from Robert Weiss, former president and CEO of CooperCompanies, after he visited Hanoi, Vietnam, to see OGS-supported work in action.
“Myopia is a pandemic, and the visit confirmed the high degree to which we see it. There is still a lot of work to be done in Vietnam and globally,” says Weiss following his meeting with optometry students and pediatric eyecare patients. “A lack of vision is a lack of quality of life. If you can’t see…there’s just so much you can’t do. You’re missing the world. But we have the tools to not only correct myopia but [also] prevent its progression.”
Weiss is personally connected to Vietnam since serving in the Medical Service Corps during the Vietnam War. He shares that he had visited villages to provide medical care, and while much was being done to help improve the quality of life, there were no optometrists. “The profession didn’t exist then like it does now,” he says.
These experiences inspired him to personally help fund projects that expand optometry in Vietnam, leading him to work with partners like OGS, the Brien Holden Foundation, and the Hanoi Medical University (HMU). Together, the organizations established the Pediatric Refractive Error Training Centre (PRETC) in Hanoi and the country’s first optometry school at HMU.
“I visited the pediatric center and sat one-on-one with three patients, all needing vision correction. None of their parents had myopia,” he shares, reflecting the worldwide trend resulting from less time outdoors and the increase in near work. “It showed me just how important it is to minimize the growth in the prevalence of myopia and its progression from a long-term perspective.”
Since its inception in 2019, PRETC has performed more than 20,000 eye exams and nearly 10,000 screenings, in addition to dispensing more than 4,000 pairs of glasses. The HMU optometry school saw 233 trained optometrists graduate and currently has 78 students enrolled in the program.
“I spoke to the new class of optometry students and told them how hard they will have to work,” Weiss shares. “I also saw some of the students in action as they performed eye exams at a local primary school. Seeing their eagerness to learn and continue the profession gives me hope for the future.”
After his retirement as CEO in 2018, Weiss took on the role and currently serves as chairman of the board of directors for CooperCompanies. He previously served as president of CooperVision, the largest donor in OGS history, having contributed more than $4 million. Individually, Weiss is also one of the largest OGS donors, having donated $340,000. After his visit to the optometry school and clinic in Vietnam, he shares he is even more inspired to continue supporting OGS.
“The need for optometry in Vietnam is an indication of the need in the majority of the world,” says Weiss. “We’re in the second inning of a nine-inning game; we have a long way to go. In the industry, we all have the power to help, and I’m going to do my part to make it happen.”