THE STORY OF GOODVISION USA
In 2012, Martin Aufmuth, a German schoolteacher, disappeared into his basement with a mission: to design a simple, affordable pair of eyeglasses that anyone in the world could afford. He had learned that the people most in need of glasses were often the least able to get them — a global crisis that has left nearly one billion people unable to see clearly. Determined to change that, Martin developed an ingenious, low-cost solution: the bending machine — a device that requires no electricity and is perfectly suited for use in resource-limited environments. With this simple tool, an individual can produce a durable stainless-steel wire eyeglass frame in about 30 minutes. From this innovation, OneDollarGlasses was born.
As the initiative gained traction around the world, it became clear that establishing a presence in the United States was vital to increase visibility and ensure long-term sustainability. In 2018, a small team of volunteers, led by the passion of founding Executive Director, Jennifer Hyde, began laying the groundwork to build OneDollarGlasses USA. From the outset, the organization was also fortunate to attract an outstanding founding Board of Directors —Blair Wong and Kathy Smith — whose leadership, industry expertise, commitment, and deep passion for the mission guided its early growth.
A devoted group of volunteers soon rallied around the cause — colleagues from the optical field, friends with exceptional writing or financial skills, handy types who delighted in bending wire frames and demonstrating the process at community events, and friends and family who dug into their pockets to ensure this burgeoning effort would succeed. In March 2019 OneDollarGlasses USA officially became recognized as a 501(c) non-profit organization confirming the credibility of our mission and strength of internal structures, and providing the ability to harness resources necessary to deliver global impact in vision care delivery.
Around this time, the team was approached by Dr. Mosoka Fallah, a respected Liberian epidemiologist. Having learned about OneDollarGlasses, Dr. Fallah was determined to bring the project to Liberia — a country where access to corrective eyewear was virtually nonexistent. As a child, Mosoka had once traveled for days by bus to Côte d’Ivoire just to get a pair of glasses. For most Liberians, such access was unimaginable.
In 2019, after months of planning, training, and collaboration, the first cohort of Liberian vision technicians began delivering eye exams and affordable eyeglasses to communities with the least access to care. This effort led to the creation of OneDollarGlasses Liberia — later renamed GoodVision Liberia following an organization-wide name shift. Since its founding, GoodVision Liberia has distributed tens of thousand of pairs of glasses and employ dozens of trained staff who conduct vision screenings, dispense glasses, and manage the program.
From the very start, Liberian GoodVision Technicians Ade and Doris have played a key role in bringing clear vision to their communities.
Jen Hyde, Blair Wong, and Brian Wong representing GoodVision and spreading our mission at VisionExpo East 2023.
Fast forward to 2025: GoodVision USA (formerly OneDollarGlasses USA) is not only proud of its role in helping to establish GoodVision Liberia, but has expanded its efforts to support the GoodVision family of global programs. This growing network of vision care providers operates in 11 countries in Asia, Africa and South America and has served over 1 million people, Additionally, GoodVision USA has become a key part of a growing network of robust U.S.-based, vision-focused nonprofit organizations who continue to expand access to clear sight.
GoodVision’s milestone of distributing 1 million glasses worldwide was 13 years in the making. This achievement taught the organization invaluable lessons about what works — that locally-led programs create sustainable impact, that simple technology can solve complex problems, and that investing in community infrastructure transforms lives far beyond a single pair of glasses. With these insights, proven systems now operating across 11 countries, and professional leadership guiding strategic growth, GoodVision has committed to an ambitious goal: reaching the next million people within three years. This acceleration is driven by a fundamental conviction — that quality vision care is a human right and that everyone deserves the dignity, opportunity, and self-determination that comes with clear vision. The model is proven, the momentum is building, and the path forward is clear: expand what works, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that preventable vision loss no longer stands between people and their potential.
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© 2025 PO Box 600121 Newtonville MA 02460, GoodVision USA, Inc., a US 501 (c)(3) public charity, EIN 83-1871284