Bausch + Lomb Canada Supports Moments that Matter with the 'Why Eye Care' Campaign for Vision Health Month

One share = $1 investment to Fighting Blindness Canada

TORONTO, May 1, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - This May, for Vision Health Month, Bausch + Lomb Canada is launching the Why Eye Care campaign to encourage Canadians to join the vision health movement and to fund vital research. To inform and empower Canadians about vision health by raising awareness about eye health through social media shares, Bausch + Lomb Canada will give $1 for each share of posts tagged #WhyEyeCare to Fighting Blindness Canada, Canada's leading private funder of vision research.

One in 7 people in Canada today will develop a serious eye disease in their lifetime.¹ Every 12 minutes, someone in Canada begins to lose their eyesight.² Furthermore, the prevalence of vision loss in Canada is expected to increase nearly 30% in the next decade.³

To spread awareness about the importance of eye health and encourage Canadians to support this cause, Bausch + Lomb Canada will run Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook social media campaigns using the hashtag #WhyEyeCare throughout the month of May. Canadians are encouraged to join the movement and participate in the conversation by sharing educational and motivational vision care posts. Canadians can also make a difference by motivating their family and friends to focus on their eye health and be proactive about it during the month of May.

"Today, 5.5 million Canadians have an eye disease that puts them at risk of losing their vision" says Lorenzo Santini, Vice President and General Manager, Bausch + Lomb Canada. "The goal of the #WhyEyeCare movement is to raise awareness and funds to improve vision health for Canadians. With increased awareness and engagement about the benefits of proactive vision health, Bausch + Lomb Canada, together with Canadians, can change today's bleak eye health stats and more people can protect their precious power of sight."

"Bausch + Lomb Canada's partnership with Fighting Blindness Canada will further raise awareness and allow for investment in vision care programming through the one share equals $1 #WhyEyeCare campaign," Mr. Santini added. "This campaign is another testament to Bausch + Lomb Canada's commitment as an organization with over 165 years of history of helping people see better to live better."

"Thanks to research discoveries becoming today's treatments, three in four cases of vision loss are preventable. That's why it's so important for Canadians to be proactive about getting regular eye exams," said Doug Earle, President and CEO of Fighting Blindness Canada. "As an organization committed to raising awareness and funds into research, we are excited to be partnering with Bausch + Lomb Canada on the #WhyEyeCare campaign. #WhyEyeCare will not only mobilize Canadians to protect their eyesight – it will also help fund critical research into blinding eye diseases that can't be prevented with early detection."

To learn more, visit WhyEyeCare.ca and FightingBlindness.ca and remember to visit an eye care professional for a routine eye exam.

References:

1.Vision Health Month CNIB. Healthy Vision Checklist. http://visionhealthmonth.cnib.ca/Healthy-Vision-Checklist-Adults
2. CNIB Foundation. Fundraise for Us. https://cnib.ca/en/support-us/events/fundraise-us-1?region=on_north 
3. Meeting the Eye Health and Vision Care Needs of Canadians: A Workforce Analysis. Canadian Association of Optometrists. https://opto.ca/sites/default/files/resources/documents/workforce_analysis_final_april_2018.pdf 

About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb, a Bausch Health Companies Inc. company, is a leading global eye health organization that is solely focused on helping people see better to live better. Its core businesses include over-the-counter products, dietary supplements, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Bausch + Lomb develops, manufactures and markets one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry, which is available in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.Bausch.ca.

About Fighting Blindness Canada

Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC) is the largest private funder of vision research in Canada. With research at the heart of its focus, FBC has contributed over $40 million to the search for sight-saving cures and treatments for blinding eye diseases. With the support of its generous donors, FBC has funded over 200 research grants that have led to over 600 discoveries in areas such as stem cell research, neuroprotective therapies, technological developments, pharmaceuticals and gene therapies. Visit fightingblindness.ca or call 1-800-461-3331 to learn more.

SOURCE Bausch + Lomb

For media inquiries and spokesperson interviews, please contact, Media: Boyd Erman, Longview Communications, [email protected], Desk 416 649 8007, Mobile : [phone]; Investor Relations: Arthur Shannon, Bausch Health, [email protected], Desk: 514-856-3855, Toll free: 877-281-6642