85% of every donation from eye care professionals, optical staff and employees, clients and patients goes directly to support programs that help give sight to those most in need. According to Dr. Victor J. Connors, Chairman and CEO of Optometry Giving Sight USA, a donation of as little as five dollars can provide an eye exam and glasses in a developing country. For more information on Optometry Giving Sight, visit www.givingsight.org.
Optometry Giving Sight – International and Local Philanthropy
Broadway Vision Source is committed to enhancing vision locally as well as in our global community. We have chosen Optometry Giving Sight as our charitable focus.
Optometry Giving Sight is the only global fundraising initiative that specifically targets the prevention of blindness and impaired vision due to uncorrected refractive error (URE).
At least 670 million people around the world are blind or vision impaired simply because they do not have access to an eye examination and a pair of glasses. Sight can make the difference between a life of poverty and a life of opportunity. The solution to blindness and impaired vision due to refractive error is simple – provide quality primary eye care. There is no one better prepared to take on this challenge than the global Optometric community.
Optometry Giving Sight projects seek to ensure sustainable, lasting results in three ways:
- Eye care service delivery – exams, low-cost eye glasses and low-vision devices
- Human Resources – training of optometrists, eye care personnel and their teachers
- Infrastructure development – establishment and support of vision centers, eye clinics and schools of optometry.
By the end of 2009, Optometry Giving Sight distributed US$2.9 million through its partners to help screen and provide basic eye care services to more than 3.5 million people, train 1550 mid-level eye care personnel and create 101 vision centers / optical labs.