Free reading glasses boost productivity among Indian garment workers
A randomized controlled trial by Pant S. et al. found that providing free near-vision glasses to presbyopic garment workers significantly increased their productivity, with returns far exceeding intervention costs.
Key Findings:
- Workers who received glasses showed a 5.7% productivity increase over 12 weeks compared to controls (95% CI 1.04%–10.4%, p=0.017).
- The intervention cost $9.88 per person, yet economic benefits exceeded costs by 337% during the trial period alone. A speculative 12-month projection puts the ROI at approximately 1,650%.
- Glasses adherence rose steadily from 41.1% at week 4 to 65.0% at week 12, with higher adherence linked to greater productivity gains.
- Self-reported visual function improved substantially in the intervention group by endline, with a mean difference of −15.4 points on a 0–64 scale (p<0.001), suggesting benefits extending beyond the workplace.
Reference: Pant S, Bagwe S, Esther S, et al. PROductivity Study of Presbyopia Elimination in gaRment workers (PROSPER II): a randomised trial on the productivity impact of providing near glasses to Indian garment factory workers. Br J Ophthalmol. Published online April 27, 2026.
