Focus on Blindness Prevention
I have a story to share. A good friend of mine was being really hard on herself. She had taken her two daughters out to breakfast when they started to play a game. There was a funny billboard that could be seen from a window near them, and she started asking questions about it. What resulted was the realization that her girls could not see very well. She could not believe it! They had never complained. No one has ever said anything. They seemed fine...After their vision exam, they both needed glasses. Although she was very happy with correcting their vision problems, she almost cried when they kept telling her about the amazing things they could now see.
Proper vision is required for all aspects of school, from reading a whiteboard or a book to being able to play during P.E. and recess. When kids have trouble with their eyesight, these daily tasks can become difficult and overwhelming.
Last year, RISE Augusta became aware of Prevent Blindness Georgia, a nonprofit organization founded in 1965. Prevent Blindness Georgia (PBGA) is the state affiliate of Prevent Blindness, the leading voluntary eye health organization dedicated to the prevention of blindness and the preservation of sight. Focusing on the delivery of services to some of the state’s poorest and most vulnerable residents, PBGA provides no-cost eye exams and corrective glasses for people of all ages.
Working together, both organizations realized that there was a huge need for vision screenings among elementary youth, especially those from poorer neighborhoods in Augusta. Last week, the last of seven school screenings was completed. With their parent’s permission, those children who did not pass the screening will be invited back for an on-site clinic and follow-up care to include two free pair of glasses.
Vision screenings have identified several hundred children that may need glasses and Prevent Blindness Georgia is making sure that those children receive them – what an amazing gift!
THANK YOU Prevent Blindness Georgia!
