ORLANDO, Fla —Nearly 200 optometrists made Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) their International Charity of Choice at the Vision Source North American meeting earlier this year, raising almost $100,000 for people who are blind or vision impaired due to uncorrected refractive error.

This year’s World Sight Day is Oct. 9. Optometry Giving Sight encourages all U.S. optometrists to donate the fees from their eye exams on World Sight Day to help the estimated 13 million children who are blind or vision impaired simply because they do not have access to an eye exam and a pair of glasses.

The organization, which is the only global initiative that specifically targets the prevention of blindness and impaired vision due to refractive error, hopes that staff, patients and students will also support the campaign by signing up to a single or regular monthly donation of as little as $5.

This was the second year in a row that delegates to the Vision Source conference have supported Optometry Giving Sight. “The support of Vision Source has been directly responsible for funding projects in Africa and Asia over the past year that have screened more than 1 million adults and children and dispensed more than 50,000 pairs of glasses said Brien Holden, CEO, OSG. Added Vision Source CEO, Dr. Glenn Ellisor. “We truly believe that our executives, members, patients and suppliers can all play a part in helping some of the many people who are blind or vision impaired simply because they don’t have access to an eye examination and a pair of glasses.”

The World Sight Day Challenge aims to raise funds for projects which provide access to services, training of local people and infrastructure development in developing countries where 90 percent of preventable blindness occurs. In 2007, hundreds of optometrists from around the world took the Challenge, raising more than $250,000.

To register—or for more information—visit: www.givingsight.org, email [email protected] or call 1-888-OGS-GIVE.

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 Institute for Eye Research, Marchon Eyewear, Vision Source, Signet Armorlite, AllAboutVision.com and EyeVis.