Linden Optometry in Pasadena, Calif. saw a great opportunity to make their mark in support of this year’s WSDC by purchasing T-shirts for their entire staff.
NEW YORK—Optometry Giving Sight reports that close to 1,000 optometrists and their practices throughout North America are already raising funds in support of the upcoming World Sight Day Challenge on Oct. 10 to help people who are needlessly blind or vision impaired due to uncorrected refractive error.

Other ECPs are making personal or practice donations, buying the charity’s “people power” T-shirts and wristbands, and talking with their practice managers about the best way to celebrate World Sight Day and to engage staff and patients in a positive way.

“We hope that every one in the profession and industry will consider an online donation to Optometry Giving Sight over the next few weeks,” said CEO Clive Miller. “World Sight Day is celebrated by eyecare professionals around the world and it’s a great opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of eye health in our local communities, as well as raise funds.”

The World Sight Day Challenge is the largest annual global fundraising campaign to address avoidable blindness caused by uncorrected refractive error. This year’s challenge takes place from Sept. 1 through World Sight Day on Oct. 10.

Executive chairman of Vision Source, Glenn Ellisor, hopes that all the Vision Source members will participate in some way and the company has offered to match the first $10,000 in donations. In Canada, FYiDoctors report that they have now achieved 100 percent participation from their members. Primary Eyecare Network, Texas State Optical, IDOC, Eye Recommend and OSI are all encouraging their members to take the Challenge.

Many eyecare companies are also supporting the World Sight Day Company Challenge. CooperVision is once again mounting a global campaign that will see all their offices and facilities around the world taking part in the “Fight for Sight.” They hope to beat last year’s effort, which raised close to $50,000, which the company then matched.

AllAboutVision is offering to donate $25 for everyone who signs up to their online practice directory and who also makes a donation in support of the Challenge.

Other companies that have made a donation or are encouraging their staff to participate include: A&A Optical, ABB Optical, Alcon, Alden Labs, Art Optical, Bard Optical, Carl Zeiss Vision, ClearVision Optical, Contamac, DAC Vision, Demandforce, Europa International, Eyefinity, Gas Permeable Lens Institute, Hoya, Marchon Eyewear, Morel Eyewear, Optos, Primary Care Optometry News, Reed Exhibitions, REM, RevolutionEHR, RX Optical, Sauflon, Signet Armorlite, TLC Laser Eye Centers, Transitions Optical, VSP Vision Care, VSP Optics Group, Williams Group and Zyloware Eyewear.

They are joined in Canada by: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Alcon, Carl Zeiss, Westgroupe, Viva International, Scotiabank and Essilor.

Donations can be made at www.givingsight.org, by calling 1888 OGS GIVE or by visiting OGS at Vision Expo West Booth #16000. ■

mkane@jobson.com


WSD Coalition Forms in Support of Optometry Giving Sight

 
NEW YORK—A major highlight of this year’s campaign is the formation of a coalition of 13 leading eyecare companies to raise awareness of the importance of eye health and access to care. The Coalition, which is being coordinated by VSP Global, will support a range of activities over the coming weeks including a major outreach event in Atlanta from Oct. 9 to 13, that will provide eye exams for an estimated 2,000 disadvantaged people.

Coalition members include ABB Optical Group, Alcon, AllAboutVision.com, CooperVision, Essilor, Eyefinity, Marchon Eyewear, TLC Laser Eye Centers, Transitions Optical, Vistakon, a Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., Vision Source, VSP Optics, and VSP Vision Care.

“Each of the organizations involved in this coalition have a long standing commitment to eye health awareness and access to care,” said Rob Lynch, CEO, VSP Global and Global Development Board Member for Optometry Giving Sight. “Leveraging the strength of each of the coalition partners allows us to broaden our collective reach in support of Optometry Giving Sight and their global efforts to fund sustainable eyecare-related projects for those in need around the world.” ■