Donations to organizations that provide international ophthalmology support in collaboration with 10 social partners

Report on Support Funds for Social Partner Program, 8th Term (November 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024)

Total amount of donations to date

From the first to the eighth phase, we received support from 37 of our business partners, and the total amount donated is 15,937,120 yen.

Donation recipient

OUI Inc. (OUI Corporation) <Representative Director: Eisuke Shimizu>

OUI Inc. is a venture company spun off from Keio University School of Medicine, founded by a practicing ophthalmologist. Their mission is to reduce blindness worldwide by 50% and protect people's health through eye care. Based on the concept of spreading the "eyes" of ophthalmologists to the world, they have developed a smartphone-attachable ophthalmic diagnostic device called Smart Eye Camera (SEC). Using the portable and easy-to-use SEC, they are dedicated to delivering ophthalmic care to patients around the world, including those in developing countries, who have previously had difficulty accessing ophthalmic medical care itself.

Amount: 662,120 yen

NPO Asia Association for the Prevention of Blindness <Chairman: Shigeru Kinoshita>

The NPO Asia Blindness Prevention Association was founded by a group of volunteers who sympathized with Dr. Tadashi Hattori, a graduate of the Department of Ophthalmology at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine. With the desire to prevent even one person from losing their sight in the Indochina Peninsula and other poor countries in Asia, mainly Vietnam, the organization provides free ophthalmic treatment and technical training in those areas.

Amount: 662,120 yen

What is a social partner?

This program involves Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and its retail partners who, in collaboration with the company, donate a portion of their sales to social contribution activities such as medical support in Japan and around the world. For the 8th term, a portion of the sales of "V ROHTO PREMIUM," "V Rohto Active Premium," "V Rohto Dry Eye Premium," and "V Rohto Contact Premium" *1 from November 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 was donated.

*1: "V ROHTO PREMIUM" (Category 2 pharmaceutical) for eye strain / "V Rohto Active Premium" (Category 2 pharmaceutical) for eye strain / "V Rohto Dry Eye Premium" (Category 3 pharmaceutical) for dry eyes / "V Rohto Contact Premium" (Category 3 pharmaceutical) for eye strain

Background of the activities

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and it is estimated that approximately 100 million people are currently blind. Cataracts are a disease in which the lens of the eye, which acts as the eye's lens, becomes cloudy, leading to decreased vision. In Japan, surgical treatment has advanced, and the rate of blindness due to cataracts has become very low. However, globally, in developing countries, many people lose their sight due to cataracts not only because of poverty, but also because of a lack of medical personnel and equipment, resulting in inadequate screenings and diagnoses, and because treatment is not possible due to insufficient surgical techniques.
Our company has previously provided support in various Asian countries, including free eye examinations and treatments, the free provision of intraocular lenses for cataract treatment, and the training of local ophthalmologists. Because we have supported the eye health of people around the world through various activities, including eye drops, we reached out to our business partners with the desire to further expand and continue these activities and provide support to even more people who are on the verge of blindness. As a result, as many as 10 of our business partners have agreed to become "social partners" and jointly carry out support activities. We will continue our activities to realize the well-being of people around the world.

Reference Information: Our company's social contribution activities related to eye health overseas

• Supporting the Amazon Cataract Eradication Project

  This initiative has been providing continuous support for over 20 years to improve the situation of indigenous communities in Brazil who have difficulty accessing ophthalmic care. Our Brazilian eye drop manufacturer and distributor, Ophthalmos S.A., participates as volunteer staff and provides cataract surgery products free of charge, contributing to healthcare that transcends regional and ethnic barriers.

• PT. Rohto Laboratories Indonesia 's support for free cataract surgeries

  PT. Rohto Laboratories Indonesia in the ASEAN region to manufacture and sell intraocular lenses for cataract surgery. For many years, the company has been engaged in social contribution activities, including providing intraocular lenses free of charge, in close cooperation with various stakeholders such as hospitals, ophthalmology clinics, and foundations. These activities extend beyond Indonesia to neighboring countries, including Thailand and Myanmar, contributing to the overall "eye health" of the region.

• Bringing the joy of seeing to the world, beyond national borders! The "Joy of Seeing Project"

  In 2022, our company, in collaboration with overseas Rohto Group affiliates, launched "Joy of Seeing (JoS)," a social contribution project aimed at protecting people's eye health worldwide. In 2023, we expanded our activities, including awareness events, free eye examinations, and the free provision of eyeglasses, primarily in nine Asian countries (regions). Through these activities, we worked to raise awareness of children's eye health and myopia, and published the results in an annual project report.

  • Details of the initiative: 2023 Activity Report