Dot Glasses

DOT Glasses International Ltd

Dot Glasses

We manufacture glasses, testing tools and train non-eyecare specialists to sell glasses affordably to the most underserved communities.

Nairobi

KEN

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

Globally, over 1 billion people suffer from uncorrected refractive error (URE), the world’s largest unmet disability. In Kenya alone, 5.6 million people need glasses but cannot access or afford them. The root causes are high costs, limited availability of trained optometrists (only 1 per 250,000 people, versus the WHO recommended ratio of 1:50,000), and inaccessible eye care facilities, particularly in rural and low-income communities. Traditional eyecare methods require specialized personnel, costly equipment, and complex logistics, making eyeglasses expensive and inaccessible for most low-income individuals. Without vision correction, affected individuals face reduced educational outcomes, lower productivity (up to 32% decrease), increased risk of road accidents, higher vulnerability to fraud, and diminished overall quality of life. Women and rural communities are disproportionately affected, facing greater barriers due to cultural constraints and limited healthcare access. Addressing URE can significantly improve education, employment opportunities, and economic outcomes, dramatically enhancing the quality of life and productivity in these underserved populations.

Dot Glasses provides an innovative, cost-effective, and scalable solution to vision correction through our unique "Good Enough Vision Approach" (GEVA). GEVA simplifies eyecare by using just six lens types to serve 85% of vision correction needs without requiring optometrists. Our patented one-size-fits-all adjustable frames, designed by a Mercedes-Benz team and awarded the prestigious Red Dot Design Award, can be assembled in under one minute immediately after vision testing. This eliminates the need for multiple visits and extensive inventory. Our "optical shop in a bag," a portable briefcase or backpack, contains all necessary equipment for vision testing and glasses assembly, allowing deployment even in remote areas. Dot Glasses equips local healthcare workers, pharmacists, and micro-entrepreneurs through a three-day training, significantly reducing service delivery costs and increasing local employment. Our glasses retail at $5, far below traditional optometric services, making high-quality, durable, and customizable eyeglasses accessible for the first time to low-income communities.

Dot Glasses primarily serves low-income, rural, and underserved communities in East Africa, particularly women and children who disproportionately suffer from uncorrected vision impairments. These populations typically live on less than $5 per day and work in agriculture, manual labor, or run micro-businesses. They lack access to affordable and proximate eye care, compounded by high travel costs, consultation fees, and multiple required visits for traditional eyeglass prescriptions. Our solution dramatically improves their lives by providing immediate, affordable vision correction, enabling users to see clearly and independently for the first time. Better vision increases productivity by up to 32% (PROSPER, 2018), boosts income by approximately 35% (Thrive, 2024), enhances educational outcomes significantly (equivalent to 0.5-1 year of additional schooling; Seeing is Learning, 2017), and drastically improves safety, reducing accidents by up to 80% (Vision Spring, 2018). Women and girls, who constitute 60% of those needing glasses, benefit from increased participation in education and employment, promoting gender equity. Dot Glasses thus directly impacts livelihoods, education, safety, and overall quality of life, creating sustainable economic empowerment and improving community health outcomes. We also support local health facilities and agents by creating new revenue streams/jobs.