Spreading the "joy of seeing" across borders to the world! Launching the 9th year of "International Ophthalmology Support Activities" with 10 business partners

What is a social partner?

This retail business partner works in conjunction with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to donate a portion of its sales to social contribution activities, such as medical support in Japan and around the world. For the 9th term, a portion of the sales of "V ROHTO PREMIUM," "V Rohto Active Premium," "V Rohto Dry Eye Premium," and "V Rohto Contact Premium" from January 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025 will be donated.

From left to right: "V ROHTO PREMIUM" (Category 2 pharmaceutical): for tired and red eyes; "V Rohto Contact Premium" (Category 3 pharmaceutical): for discomfort while wearing contact lenses; "V Rohto Active Premium" (Category 2 pharmaceutical): for tired eyes, blurred vision due to excessive eye discharge, etc.; "V Rohto Dry Eye Premium" (Category 3 pharmaceutical): for dry eyes.

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.

Background of the activities

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and it is estimated that tens of millions of 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 still lose their sight due to cataracts not only because of poverty, but also because of environmental problems such as a shortage of doctors, hospitals and equipment, and because surgical techniques are not advanced enough to allow for treatment.
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, but these efforts have been limited. With the desire to expand these activities and reach out to more people on the brink of blindness, we have received support from as many as 10 of our business partners this term, who have agreed to join us in supporting these activities as "social partners."

Donation recipient

We plan to support organizations and medical institutions in Asia, Africa, and other regions that provide treatment for cataracts that can cause blindness, offer technical guidance on cataract surgery, and donate ophthalmic medical equipment and intraocular lens medications.

Results of the 8th Phase of Support Activities

OUI Inc. (OUI Corporation)

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.
In its eighth term, the project disseminated its achievements through numerous international activities, including exhibiting at the Taiwan Home Healthcare Society conference, attending the annual meeting of the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness in Mexico, and exhibiting equipment at ophthalmological conferences in Rwanda and Nigeria. Furthermore, it participated in an eye camp for cataract surgery in Indonesia, presented research results on ophthalmic examinations in Mozambique, and focused on raising awareness and creating practical models of the Smart Eye Camera. With support from the International Finance Corporation and the Inter-American Development Bank, the project's activities expanded to include inclusion in the WHO's list of innovative medical technologies.

Activities of OUI Inc. (OUI Corporation)

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  Scenes from our exhibition at the Home Healthcare Society conference in Taiwan

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  A scene from a cataract eye camp in West Timor, Indonesia.

NPO Asia Blindness Prevention Association

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.
In terms of ophthalmic treatment activities in 2024, given that 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam, in addition to implementing the "Save The Vision" program of free cataract surgeries throughout Vietnam, Hue Eye Hospital collaborated with the Hikari Kanata Foundation to treat over 80 children under the age of 20, receiving positive feedback. Furthermore, in terms of medical technology training activities, with the cooperation of the APBA team and local trainee doctors, retinal and vitreous surgeries were performed at Hanoi Medical University Hospital and Dong Tho Eye Center, and Vietnamese doctors received training at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine as part of medical cooperation support, achieving positive results.

Activities of the NPO Asia Association for the Prevention of Blindness

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  Scenes from ophthalmic medical technology training in Vietnam

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  Scenes from ophthalmic medical support in Vietnam