Czech start-up aims to cut out blurred vision around the globe

Czech-US start-up Dot Glasses is planning to produce 3D-printed glasses for all those people who can’t afford to buy a brand-new pair of glasses.

The company has so far completed a crowd-funding campaign collecting 450,000 crowns for further development. When ready, the new glasses will cost around three US dollars per pair.

“Our goal was to find a solution that makes glasses accessible, even to people living in the most remote villages on earth. We had to think fresh, we couldn’t be constrained by old school thinking. We decided to go for good enough vision, not perfect vision,” claims the Dot website.

Dot’s adjustable frames have been designed by a joint venture between Mercedes Benz and Akka Technologies. The frames are 100 per cent injection-molded ABS plastic, which makes them extraordinarily robust. Each frame consists of six pieces that are easily assembled in a matter of minutes. The frames are self-adjustable by anyone, anywhere – and fashionable. The lens is also made from polycarbonate, with a scratch-resistant coating. They are perfectly shaped to snugly snap into the frames, without the need for any tools.

According to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, 1.2 billion people don’t have access to glasses.