VENICE—The Italian Association of Optical Goods Manufacturers (ANFAO) promoted the first National Anti-Counterfeiting Day on July 7 throughout Italy.

The event’s primary objective of increasing the awareness of both companies and citizens on the phenomenon of counterfeiting.

According to the release, during the first nine months of last year alone, the Guardia di Finanza (the Italian Tax Police) confiscated more than 112 million fake products in Italy.

“Counterfeit sunglasses[and prescription glasses] expose eyes and vision to risks due to non-compliant lenses, and they can also bring on devastating allergic reactions to the skin caused by the materials used to make the frames,” Tabacchi explained.