NEW YORK—Thousands of optometrists, optometry students and industry professionals across the U.S. and Australia, Canada, the U.K, Ireland and Norway are taking part in 2010’s World Sight Day, today, Oct. 14.

Part of the World Sight Day Challenge, a major $4 million fundraising campaign coordinated by Optometry Giving Sight (OSG), the initiative funds for projects which provide vision care, local training and infrastructure support for people who are blind or vision impaired due to uncorrected refractive error.

 

University of Waterloo student Greg Carr was the
winning student in 2008 and volunteered his services
for a week on an Optometry Giving Sight sponsored
project in Haiti.

Vic Connors, OD, chair of the USA National Committee for the international initiative, noted, “There are 670 million people worldwide who are blind or vision impaired—simply because they don’t have access to an eye exam and glasses.” Directed to projects in 18 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, OSG guarantees that 85 percent of all funds raised by ODs and their patients go directly to programs that give sight to those most in need.

Optometry Giving Sight is a joint initiative of the World Optometry Foundation, the International Centre for Eyecare Education and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. National industry sponsors include CIBA Vision, the Brien Holden Vision Institute, Marchon, Vision Source and AllAboutVision.com.

Optometrists are raising funds for Optometry Giving Sight (OSG) by donating their eye exam fees, making a donation, having a practice celebration or inviting their patients to make a donation. Around 50 optical companies will be celebrating with their staff and raising funds; while students at more than 30 Schools of Optometry will be raising funds and awareness among their peers. For the first time, World Sight Day Challenge participants can also create their own personal or team fundraising Web pages, which can be shared via email or FaceBook, Twitter and other social networks.

The World Sight Day Challenge Student Volunteer Contest, endorsed by the American Optometric Student Association, is open to all optometry students in the U.S. and Canada and is funded by VOSH and OSG. The winning students will travel in 2011; each will receive a $1,000 travel voucher from OSG to fund the cost of their trip. All applications and essays must be received no later than Oct. 31. Details are at http://bit.ly/cR36Hj.

Among the thousands of independent ODs and students participating, Luxottica Group’s (NYSE:LUX) global charity, OneSight, is inviting the public to juoin its associates during Oct. 14ts “OneDay” where employees at Luxottica’s manufacturing and distribution facilities, retail stores and offices around the world will have the opportunity to attempt everyday tasks wearing glasses simulating three of the most common vision impairments: uncorrected refractive error, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.

“By taking time to experience these common vision problems firsthand, our employees can better understand the realities faced by our customers and OneSight patients,” said Greg Hare, OneSight executive director. “Our employees are passionate about helping the world see. This kind of experience brings additional meaning to the significance of our everyday work and our charitable efforts to provide clear vision to millions in need through OneSight.” In addition to the simulations, many employees will also participate in OneDay service events, including recycling used eyewear for use on OneSight global clinics and providing free eye exams and glasses to those in need in local communities.
 

In Chatanooga, Tenn., a three-day Summer SPECtacular event raised funds and
practice pledged to donate $5 to OSG for each frame sold during the promotion.
(L to R): Jim Price with Optometry Giving Sight, Dr. Mark Kapperman, Dr. Troy
White, Dr. Rob McGarvey.


The public is invited to celebrate World Sight Day and join the “OneDay for OneSight” experience by visiting OneSight.org.

The site features a “Blurry to Clear”tool that demonstrates the realities of not having clear vision through three OneSight program recipient stories. The site also provides information and videos about OneSight’s charitable programs, including blogs and photography from current regional and global clinics.

Among the many other efforts related to World Sight Day is happening at Indivijual Custom Eyewear which will donate a new pair of adjustable prescription eyeglasses to a person in need of corrective glasses in the developing world as part of the company’s Buy One, Give One campaign.

More info about the World Sight Day Challenge available at 1-888-OGS GIVE (1-888-647-4483) or via email at: [email protected]. World Sight Day is an initiative of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight and is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and non-government organizations with the shared goal of eliminating avoidable blindness by the year 2020.