Vision Aid Overseas, which now incorporates Optometry Giving Sight in the UK, is calling on eye care practitioners across the UK to support the 10th Anniversary World Sight Day, on Thursday 13 October 2016, by making a donation for every pair of spectacles sold during October 2016, by selling World Sight Day raffle tickets to customers, by encouraging customers to make a donation and by supporting the campaign in any way that they can.
Hampshire optometrist Graham Coates, who has agreed that his practice, Morgan-Owen & Coates, will make a donation to Vision Aid Overseas for every pair of spectacles sold during October 2016, said: “World Sight Day draws our attention to the fact that 1 in 10 people around the world don’t have access to the eye tests and spectacles that we all take for granted. Vision Aid Overseas fights poverty in the developing world by making eye tests and spectacles available to the poorest of communities at an affordable price. As well as making donations from the Practice, we will be asking customers to support World Sight Day by handing out information to all those who want to know more”.
Last year over 100 UK practices supported World Sight Day by raising funds and telling customers about the importance of eye care worldwide. But recognition of World sight Day is still relatively low compared to some other parts of the world and in particular when compared to places like the USA and Australia.
Nigel Wilson of Vision Aid Overseas said: “World Sight Day is an international fundraising campaign to raise awareness and funds for people who are needlessly blind or vision impaired simply because they can’t access an eye exam and vision care provided by an eye care professional. We are calling on UK eye care professionals to help children like Adams Mambwe. Adams was struggling at school because he is short-sighted and couldn’t see the blackboard properly, but after having his eyes tested with our volunteer team, he was prescribed a smart new pair of spectacles that restored his sight. Adams is now back at school, improving his grades and wants to be a policeman when he’s older so that he can protect and support his family”.
To get involved in World sight Day in October 2016 visit, http://www.visionaidoverseas.org/world-sight-day or call Vision Aid Overseas on 01293 535016.