To support its mission to eradicate uncorrected refractive error through the growth and expansion of optometry around the world, Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) has issued its 2024 World Sight Day Challenge. The theme of the Challenge—the organization’s largest annual fundraiser—is “Giving Together, Seeing Forever,” which celebrates the collective power of the optometry community to give the gift of sight to millions of people in need.
“The projects we support are almost entirely funded by individuals and businesses within the eye care community,” said Lois Schoenbrun, Executive Director, Optometry Giving Sight. “Dollars donated help deliver access to eye care for people of all ages where the need is greatest throughout the world.
“We use donations to meet the immediate need globally for eye exams and eyeglasses, and to provide a long-term solution by expanding the optometry profession in places where it’s needed most.”
Optometry Giving Sight’s World Sight Day Challenge runs from now through the end of October, with World Sight Day to be celebrated on October 10. Those interested in taking on the Challenge by leading fundraising efforts at their practice or company can visit givingsight.org/wsdc to register and receive a toolkit with ideas and resources. Others may choose to make one-time or recurring donations at givingsight.org/donate-wsdc.
“Ending avoidable blindness and vision impairment is a cause that truly hits home and is tailor-made for optometry practice participation, explains Steve Rice, OD, of Vision Clinic in Springfield, MO.” He and clinic staff have participated in the challenge for nearly 20 years, the last 12 of them by sponsoring a 5K run.
“After so many years of participating in the World Sight Day Challenge, the highlight of our participation is the pride in knowing that Vision Clinic, as a group and as individuals, is working to make a positive impact worldwide. I love Optometry Giving Sight — a simple but classic name that describes exactly what we’re doing.
“Your level of involvement in the World Sight Day Challenge is up to you”, he adds. “You can do a little or a lot. Whatever you do, you’ll find your staff, your patients, and you expanding the benevolence that is likely already a part of your practice to make change throughout the world.”
With funds raised, Optometry Giving Sight provides grants to programs focused on long-term solutions, including those that establish optometry schools, vision centers, and optical labs in underserved communities both at home and around the globe. Individuals receive education and training to become optometrists who then provide ongoing eye care for years to come.
About Optometry Giving Sight
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) – simply the need for an eye examination and glasses. It was established in 2003 by the Brien Holden Vision Institute, World Council of Optometry, and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness as a means of mobilizing support from the global eye care profession and industry to help eliminate the backlog of people who are needlessly blind or vision impaired – currently estimated at more than 600 million worldwide. It is a registered charity in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Ireland, and Italy.
Over the last two decades, OGS funding has provided basic eye care services to more than 8 million people, assisted with training more than 14,000 eye care personnel, established more than 130 vision centers, and served people in more than 40 countries. In the last two years alone, OGS has provided funding to more than 30 project partners around the world, totaling more than $1.5 million in grants. For more information, visit givingsight.org.
