October 2016 World Sight Day

Something as simple as the gift of sight is taken for granted by many each and every day around our globe. World Sight Day, held annually in October, is a day dedicated to global awareness for blindness and visual impairment.

Did you know?

285 million people are blind or visually impaired, yet 80% of these cases could be treated or prevented. For many, the ability to see means the ability to return to work and provide for their families. 80% of what we learn is through sight this means that the 19 million children who suffer from blindness or visual impairment have difficulty succeeding in school. With restored sight, patients can become less reliant on others. 2/3 of people who are blind are female, partly because in developing countries women have reduced access to services and inability to pay.

Do you have old eyeglasses not being used anymore?

That same pair of eyeglasses can change another person’s life. Bring them to McMillin eyecare and place them in our Lions Club eyeglass recycle box. Lions Club volunteers clean, sort by prescription strength and package the glasses. Most of the recycled glasses are distributed to people in need in developing countries where they will have the greatest impact.

Do you know a child in our area in need of vision care?

Did you know that our local Lions Club, works with the TriCities health departments to provide glasses to children in need? If you know of a child in our area in need of vision care encourage their parents to contact their county health department. McMillin eyecare is a proud partner of the Lions Club to promote healthy vision and raise awareness of the causes of preventable vision loss.

*Facts taken from TOM’s World Sight Day website.

Together we can raise awareness and make a difference.