By. Oliver Mwanko

Before a cup of tea reaches the breakfast table, thousands of workers have already shaped its journey. In Kenya’s tea-growing highlands, farmers carefully pick the delicate “two leaves and a bud” that determine quality, while factory workers sort, weigh, grade, package, and inspect tea with precision every day.
As the world marks International Tea Day on May 21, attention should focus not only on tea as a global commodity but also on the workers who sustain one of Kenya’s most valuable export industries. Kenya remains among the world’s leading tea producers and the largest exporter of black tea, earning about Ksh181.69 billion from exports to 96 destinations in 2024.

Yet behind these achievements lies a challenge that often goes unnoticed: poor eyesight.
Tea production depends heavily on precision, concentration, and clear vision. In both tea fields and factories, eyesight directly influences productivity, safety, quality, and profitability. However, many workers, especially those above 35 years, gradually develop declining near vision that affects their daily work.

Tea pickers may struggle to identify quality leaves, while factory workers strain to read weighing scales, labels, or records. Machine operators often struggle to calibrate equipment, and drivers may struggle to spot road hazards. Over time, untreated vision problems contribute to fatigue, headaches, workplace accidents, slower performance, and reduced earnings.

Research increasingly shows that poor vision is not just a health issue but an economic one. A recent agricultural study found that providing near-vision glasses improved productivity among tea pickers by 22 per cent, with gains rising to 32 per cent among workers above 50 years. Workers who received corrective eyewear also experienced an average income increase of 18 per cent.

The study further revealed that workers with untreated vision problems lost an average of 5.25 kilograms of tea per picker daily. In an industry where every kilogram directly affects earnings and export value, such losses are significant.

This evidence is beginning to influence Kenya’s tea sector. Some Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA)-linked factories, cooperatives, Fair Trade Africa structures, and private partners are now recognising eyeglasses not as a luxury but as an essential productivity tool.

Through partnerships with eye health providers, these initiatives are helping tea farmers and factory workers access affordable eye care and corrective eyewear. The shift is redefining clear vision as an investment in worker welfare, efficiency, quality assurance, and long-term profitability.
One notable example is Gitugi Tea Factory in Murang’a County, where Dot Glasses organised a three-day eye camp in June 2025. During the programme, 1,051 people underwent eye screening and 807 pairs of glasses were distributed.

The results were immediate. Programme reports showed that 65 per cent of participating workers and farmers recorded income increases averaging 41 per cent, with some reporting gains of up to 230 per cent. At the same time, the factory achieved a 14 per cent rise in production despite a broader regional decline of 9.8 per cent among “East of Rift” factories caused by cold weather and low rainfall.
Workers also reported fewer headaches, dizziness episodes, and workplace accidents after receiving glasses.

For Dr. Elizabeth Waithanji, Chairperson of the Board of Directors at Gitugi Tea Factory, the results confirmed the importance of investing in workers’ eyesight. She says the idea was inspired by similar projects in India, where tea farmers reportedly improved their economic performance after receiving prescription glasses. Though initially uncertain whether the initiative could succeed locally, the partnership with Dot Glasses proved highly effective.

The benefits extend throughout the tea value chain. Farmers can identify quality leaves faster, factory staff can grade tea more accurately, drivers can navigate more safely, and machine operators can work with greater precision and less strain.

Dot Glasses has also expanded eye care access in remote farming communities through its “optical shop in a bag” model, which provides adjustable and affordable glasses fitted on-site. This reduces the need for costly clinic visits or long-distance travel.

According to Bradley, Co-CEO of Dot Glasses, the impact of eyewear is often underestimated. A pair of glasses may look simple, but for farmers, factory workers and factories themselves, it unlocks productivity, increases resilience, improves safety and grows profit,

”Eyeglasses alone will not solve every challenge facing Kenya’s tea sector. They cannot stabilise global tea prices, reverse climate change, or guarantee fair wages. However, they can eliminate one preventable barrier that has quietly reduced productivity for years.” Oliver Mwanko-Head of Marketing & Customer Engagement – Dot Glasses