Optometry Giving Sight encourages participation.
(Press Release) Denver, CO — Optometry Giving Sight invites all members of the optometric profession and industry to support Our Children’s Vision, a global campaign helping to ensure that all child everywhere have access to the eyecare they need.
“Eighty percent of what a child learns is processed through their visual system, so it’s critical that every child can see clearly,” said Clive Miller, CEO of Optometry Giving Sight, a global supporter of the campaign. “To learn at school, every child needs to be able to see their texts and lessons on the board or screen. To develop relationships with their peers, they need to be able to see faces and play safely. To take in the world around them – they use their eyes.”
There are millions of children in the U.S. and elsewhere who are needlessly vision impaired. The rate of myopia is also increasing rapidly, and could affect 5 billion people by the year 2050.
“Remarkably, it is not standard practice in most countries for children to have a comprehensive eye exam when they start school,” said Miller. “Failure to diagnose or treat vision issues can impact a child’s life forever, and create an extraordinary economic cost to the community.”
Since launching in April 2016, Our Children’s Vision has reached 10 million children. This includes 4 million children in Mexico, who were given an eye exam as part of the Ver Bien “See Well to Learn Better” program which is partly funded by Optometry Giving Sight.
The benefits of this program were succinctly summarised by Alyssa, a young girl who knew she would be unable to achieve her dreams without proper vision correction. Now that she has her glasses? “Nothing can stop me now,” she beamed!
Optometrists who would like to join in the efforts to help more children like Alyssa can do so by:
- Making a small donation for every pair of glasses or frames sold over the next 2 months.
- Inviting your patients to make a $5 donation by texting GIFT to 27722.
Members of industry are invited to support the campaign by:
- Making a company donation or contacting Optometry Giving Sight to discuss CRM and project funding opportunities.
- Inviting your staff to make a $5 donation by texting GIFT to 27722.
To register your practice or company participation, order promotional and social media materials, or to make an online donation today, visit this website.