Essilor and Borussia Dortmund launch partnership to promote healthy vision

Football inspires millions of people and brings generations together. Values such as team spirit, passion and togetherness are also closely aligned with Essilor’s mission: helping people preserve their vision and experience life’s special moments with clear sight. Through its partnership with BVB, Essilor aims to engage a broad audience with a health topic that is often underestimated. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost one in three young people could be short-sighted by 2050. At the same time, vision problems often go undetected for a long time. The wide reach of professional football provides an ideal platform to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye tests and to put eye health more firmly in the public spotlight. 

“Football is the most widely played and most-watched sport in Germany. Our partnership with BVB enables us to reach a large audience and raise awareness of the importance of healthy vision. At the same time, our partner opticians can also benefit from this partnership,” said Alexander Mohr, Managing Director of Essilor Germany and Austria. 

“We are delighted to welcome Essilor as a strong, internationally active partner in the field of eye health. Together, we want to strengthen awareness of healthy vision through targeted education and tangible initiatives that highlight the importance of regular eye tests,” said Benedikt Scholz, Director Internationalisation & Commercial Partnerships at Borussia Dortmund. 

“This partnership perfectly represents what SPORTFIVE strives to build: a genuine and lasting connection between iconic brands and one of the most passionate fan communities in world football. By joining forces with Borussia Dortmund, Essilor is not only gaining outstanding visibility, but also a platform to deliver a message that truly matters to millions of fans. We are proud to have supported both parties in bringing this ambitious partnership to life.” Benjamin Deblicker, SVP Sales at SPORTFIVE France

As part of the BVB Football Academy, children will be able to test their vision in a playful way from October 17 to 31. Mobile eye test stations will provide additional support. Families will then be invited to have the results professionally checked by participating opticians. The well-known Monoyer eye chart will also be part of the activation. The initiative will be rounded off by a dedicated German campaign website, where fans can check their eyesight with an online eye test and learn more about the importance of regular vision checks. 

“With this awareness campaign around World Sight Day, we are continuing our mission: to enable everyone to have good vision to enjoy every moment to the full,” Mohr explained. “Football is the perfect platform to communicate this important message.”

For the weekend around World Sight Day on October 10 and for the activities at the BVB Football Academy from October 17 to 31, Essilor is looking for volunteers from the eye care sector. They will support children and their families in discovering the topic of healthy vision through playful eye tests, making a valuable contribution to raising awareness of eye health. Interested volunteers can contact Essilor directly and will receive comprehensive preparation for their role. 

With the new partnership, Essilor combines the emotional power of football with scientific expertise and social engagement. At the same time, the initiative strengthens the role of opticians as the first point of contact for better vision and creates new momentum for local customer engagement.