Implementing a Bottom of the Pyramid Eye Care Solution

This manuscript presents findings from an undergraduate research effort to find sustainable long term solutions to eye care needs in underdeveloped settings. Based on insights from the now vast Bottom of the Pyramid literature, students and faculty initiated several pilot efforts and a full scale experiment partnering with a clinic in Nicaragua. Developed as a social enterprise, this experiment cost approximately $2500 and within one year resulted in approximately 200 satisfied recipients of custom made glasses that produced a revenue of approximately $1300. We describe in detail this experiment as a case study and offer insights from the field in terms of implementation successes and obstacles and compare that with several larger-scale projects.