EnChroma and Clorox Help Eight Color Blind Brothers See Color-Coded Information in Class this School Year

OAKLAND and BERKELEY, Calif., Sept. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- EnChroma – the company bringing color to the color blind – and The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX), today announced a $10,000 gift from Clorox 2 to purchase and distribute EnChroma's glasses to color blind schoolchildren. EnChroma's Cx indoor glasses can enable red-green color blind kids to more quickly and accurately interpret color-coded information at school.

To bring to life the impact of seeing certain colors for the first time, Clorox 2 and EnChroma today unveiled a video that captures a family in Indiana with eight brothers – all of whom are color blind – trying on EnChroma glasses. The statistical odds of eight siblings in one family being color blind is one in 255, or half of one percent (0.4%). The eight boys are the first beneficiaries of Clorox's donation. 

"It's stunning that only 11 of 50 states currently test schoolchildren for color vision deficiency (CVD)," said Tony Dykes, CEO of EnChroma. "We routinely hear moving stories from color blind people about their struggles in school until they were finally diagnosed. Oftentimes, color blind kids are labeled as slow learners or suffer other humiliation. We're thrilled that Clorox wants to help CVD school kids improve their learning, and applaud their philanthropy."

Studies have found that as much as 80 percent of information is taken in visually. Many color blind students struggle to learn color-coded information in school. This is significant because in the first 10 years of a child's life the brain experiences its fastest growth.

"When EnChroma told us about these eight brothers in Indiana, we were inspired to help them see the vividness of all colors," said Shaunte Mears-Watkins, Director of Marketing, The Clorox Company. "As a brand that encourages you to 'Boost Your Color,' we felt it was natural to partner with EnChroma to help young people with color blindness and boost their opportunity to learn in the classroom."

EnChroma will distribute glasses to color blind schoolchildren in need while supplies last. To secure a pair of glasses, a parent of a color blind student in grades K-9 may submit an application at enchroma.com/clorox. EnChroma also announced it will match Clorox's gift by distributing $10,000 worth of its eyewear to schoolchildren in need. "It is important to get EnChroma eyewear to as many color blind children as possible to level the playing field at school," said Dykes. "This is one step towards making that a reality."

Color blindness is often considered a mild disability, but studies estimate that two-thirds of the 300 million people with CVD feel it's a handicap. One in 12 men, and approximately one in 200 females, have some form of CVD.

In the color blind, EnChroma's glasses re-establish the correct balance between signals from three photo-pigments in the eye. Once the correct ratios entering the eye are re-established, the correct color can be perceived. EnChroma emerged from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) SBIR study on the feasibility of correcting color vision deficiency, and over ten years of R&D.

About EnChroma
EnChroma is dedicated to positively impacting the lives of the estimated 300 million people worldwide with color vision deficiency. EnChroma has developed a robust line of innovative eyewear products with cutting-edge optical technology for men, women and children. The company is led by a team of seasoned researchers, engineers and technology experts, backed by an advisory board of world-renowned vision scientists. Based in Berkeley, California, EnChroma emerged from a National Institutes of Health SBIR grant designed to study the feasibility of correcting color vision deficiency. To reach us please call 510-497-0048, email [email protected] or visit enchroma.com.

The Clorox Company
The Clorox Company is a leading multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products with about 7,700 employees worldwide and fiscal year 2015 sales of $5.7 billion. Clorox markets some of the most trusted and recognized consumer brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products; Pine-Sol® cleaners; Liquid Plumr® clog removers; Poett® home care products; Fresh Step® cat litter; Glad® bags, wraps and containers; Kingsford® charcoal; Hidden Valley® dressings; Brita® water-filtration products and Burt's Bees® natural personal care products. The company also markets brands for professional services, including Clorox Healthcare® and Clorox Commercial Solutions®. More than 80 percent of the company's sales are generated from brands that hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories.

The company also has been recognized recently for its corporate responsibility efforts with two Climate Leadership Awards for Excellence from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and inclusion on the 2015 Newsweek Green Rankings and Corporate Responsibility magazine's 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2015 list. The Clorox Company and The Clorox Company Foundation contributed approximately $15 million in combined cash grants, product donations, cause marketing and employee volunteerism during the past year. For more information, visit TheCloroxCompany.com, the CR Matters Blog and follow the company on Twitter at @CloroxCo.

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Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhqFvRo9gJ8&feature=youtu.be

SOURCE EnChroma; The Clorox Company

Related Links

http://enchroma.com