Sue Downes.
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CHICAGO—Prevent Blindness announced that it has chosen Sue Downes, CEO at MyEyeDr. as the recipient of the 2018 Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Award. The award will be presented on March 15, 2018 at the Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Dinner at the Lotte New York Palace in conjunction with Vision Expo East. All proceeds from the event will go to support the sight-saving programs from Prevent Blindness.

The Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Award recognizes an individual or organization whose inspired outlook champions healthy vision and its importance for a healthy life.

“In addition to being a strong leader in the vision industry, Mrs. Downes has served on a variety of Prevent Blindness committees over the years, helping to support our mission in bringing Americans to eyecare,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness.

Sue Downes co-founded MyEyeDr. in 2001. She has built MyEyeDr. into a network of more than 300 local optometry practices throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and extended its reach into Connecticut and Chicago. In addition to her volunteer work with Prevent Blindness, she provides volunteer support to various organizations including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and the Alzheimer’s Association.

The co-chairpersons of the 2018 Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Committee are Marge Axelrad, senior vice president, editorial director at Vision Monday/Jobson Optical Group, and Angela McCoy, vice president of business operations at MyEyeDr.

For more information including Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Award committee membership, sponsorship opportunities, and reservations, please contact Sue Corbett at (312) 363-6014 or scorbett@preventblindness.org or visit www.preventblindness.org/personofvision.