FGX International Donates Approximately 1.5 Million Reading Glasses and Sunglasses to Support Restoring Vision’s Missions to Developing Countries

Company Donations Provide an Affordable Solution to Presbyopia

SMITHFIELD, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FGX International, a leading eyewear designer and marketer, announced today that it has donated over 1.5 million pairs of eyewear in 2011 and 2012 to Restoring Vision. The donation supports Restoring Vision’s charitable efforts in developing countries throughout the world. FGX International’s contribution included a combination of non-prescription reading glasses and sunglasses.

“FGX International is proud to support Restoring Vision in supplying eyewear to individuals in developing countries”

“FGX International is proud to support Restoring Vision in supplying eyewear to individuals in developing countries,” said Alec Taylor, FGX International. “Many people who will be helped by this donation need reading glasses to perform nearby tasks such as reading and sewing that are critical to their well-being.”

The company’s donation provides an affordable solution to presbyopia, a condition where, with age, the eye exhibits a progressively diminished ability to focus on near objects. Sunglasses are also important in fighting cataracts and ptyergia. These can be quite debilitating and affect people who live in tropical climates and work outdoors. They also protect eyes from dust and smoke.

The eyewear provided by FGX and Restoring Vision provides a cost-effective method of improving productivity and quality of life of the poor in the developing world. Reading glasses enable individuals to improve productivity and enable them to earn a greater income, thereby avoiding poverty. Restoring Vision’s efforts also empowers developmentally challenged individuals in the United States, enlisting them to sort through the different magnification strengths of reading glasses prior to distributing them to developing countries.

“This donation is remarkable,” said Mark Sachs of Restoring Vision. “It dramatically increases our ability to support new and larger groups in developing countries. We are no longer restricted by supply in reaching out to groups with permanent clinics in developing countries. Now, with this amazing donation of new readers, we will be able to help thousands of people remain productive and contributing members of their communities. We sincerely thank FGX for their unprecedented and generous donation in support of our program.”

The relationship between FGX International and Restoring Vision will continue into 2013. FGX’s ReaderBoutique.com website has pledged to donate one pair of reading glasses to Restoring Vision for each pair sold on the website as part of its “Pair for Pair” program.

About FGX International

FGX International Inc. is a leading designer and marketer of non-prescription reading glasses and sunglasses with a portfolio of established, highly recognized eyewear brands including Foster Grant®, Sight Station™, Magnivision®, Gargoyles®, Anarchy®, Corinne McCormack®, SolarShield® and PolarEyes®. FGXI also holds licenses for brands such as Ironman®, Body Glove®, Disney®, Field & Stream™, Dockers®, Reebok®, Nine West®, NASCAR®, and Panama Jack®. Based in Smithfield, Rhode Island, FGXI has approximately 500 full time employees. Additional offices are located in New York City; Ormond Beach, FL; San Luis Obispo, CA; Toronto; Milan; Stoke-on-Trent, England; Mexico City; and Shenzhen, China.

About Restoring Vision

RestoringVision.org is a non-profit which sources NEW Reading Glasses and Sunglasses (only) and supplies them at a nominal charge to two distinct groups: groups going on missions to developing countries and domestic groups serving the underprivileged. Since their inception in late 2003, they have supplied over 1,700,000 glasses to people around the world.