March brings us a few different nationally celebrated campaigns related to vision care and thus they are our topics for this month’s Pro to Pro – National Save Your Vision Month and World Glaucoma Week.

World Glaucoma Week is sponsored by the World Glaucoma Association whose goal is to eliminate glaucoma blindness by alerting people to have regular eye checks including optic nerve checks.

Save Your Vision Week was always a big event when I worked at an OD’s office in Florida. The week was filled with vision screening at local malls, local television interviews and one full day of elementary school student vision screening in our office. We were happy to lug our binocular screening machine like the one used in the drivers license office and set it up in the kiosk in the local mall. We came prepared with a countywide list of Optometrists to hand out to those interested and especially those who failed their screening.

Many people aren’t aware of the many diseases and health issues that are routinely found during complete eye examinations. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and brain tumors are a few of the diseases routinely discovered by eye doctors before other health professionals.

The vision screening of children from the local elementary schools was the most memorable and fun day. We started early with donuts and coffee and our running shoes on and ready to go. Our doctor, receptionist and myself honed our pass off and quick throughput of children. Every year we would happen upon a high hyperope and a couple of myopes that we couple help tremendously. As best I recall we did the binocular screening device, visual acuities, eye movement and coordination and a quick ophthalmoscope in about 10 to 15 minutes per child. At the end of the day we were all exhausted but pleasantly content with our contributions to these children and our community.

We saw children who were related to our current patients and we created new patients as well from this awareness campaign. And our public image and goodwill was enhanced.

The National Save Your Vision Week campaign has been expanded to National Save Your Vision Month – so if you haven’t celebrated or created an opportunity to help others and your practice or office, there’s still time.

Mindi Lewis, MA, ABOC, FNAO, is an industry professional with experience from exam room and dispensing table to marketing and national account management. She has an AS in Optometric Technology, a BS in Allied Health Education, and was an Optometric Technology Instructor at St. Petersburg College, Fla. She has worked for SOLA Optical, Carl Zeiss Vision and Essilor, and is currently a consultant and speaker, and Managing Editor for Jobson Medical Information's Optician’s Handbook.