DALLAS--Essilor of America will donate 9,000 pairs of customized glasses over the next three years in support of the Illinois Eye Institute, according to the Illinois College of Optometry.

The donated glasses will be prescribed by the Illinois College of Optometry faculty for patients served through its charitable activities in the Chicago area. Illinois College of Optometry will honor Essilor at a dedication ceremony on Aug.18, during which the Institute’s patient reception area will be named in Essilor’s honor.

The reception area at the Illinois Eye Institute has been named in Essilor’s honor following Essilor’s donation to the Institute.

As part of the gift, Essilor also coordinated the donation of frames and related lab work. Optical Supply (OSI), an Essilor Lab, in Grand Rapids, Mich. is donating all related lab work, including surfacing and finishing. Children and adults within the Institute’s charitable programs will be able to choose from a selection of frames, and then Essilor will create lenses to meet the prescription and material needs of each patient.

“We are thrilled to provide this gift to the Illinois College of Optometry in support of the Illinois Eye Institute. Everyone deserves quality vision correction and this donation will help provide proper eyecare to deserving Chicago-area residents in need,” said Mike Daley, president of Essilor Lenses.

“We are so grateful to Essilor of America for their generous gift of 9,000 pairs of eyeglasses over the next three years,” said Arol Augsburger, OD, president of the Illinois College of Optometry. “Essilor has been a tremendous partner in our efforts to offer the highest quality of services to our patients. These lenses will make a meaningful difference in helping patients in need to see so they can perform essential functions for daily living.”

Founded in 1872, the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) is one of the largest and oldest educational institutions dedicated solely to the teaching of optometrists in the U.S.