Optometrist to donate eye exam fees

Local optometrist Dr. Somer Lyons will help those without access to eyecare services by participating in the World Sight Day Challenge.

On Oct. 6, Lyons will donate her eye examination fees to help some of the estimated 670 million men, women and children globally who are blind or vision impaired simply because they do not have access to an eye exam and a pair of glasses.

In many developing countries there are not enough trained eyecare personnel and there is insufficient infrastructure to support these needed eyecare services.

Optometry Giving Sight, the organizer of the World Sight Day Challenge, funds the solution by supporting programs that offer not only eye exams and glasses, but that establish vision centers and train local eyecare professionals in communities with little or no access to vision care services.

"I am proud to join thousands of optometrists around the world in making a difference," Lyons said. "The patients I see every day have a number of sophisticated vision care services and vision correction options available to them. Yet there are millions of people around the world who don't even have access to the basics - an eye exam and eyeglasses.

"There are millions of children who can't see at school and adults who can't work to provide for their families. We are proud to be able to support Optometry Giving Sight in its efforts to bring sight to people in countries with little or no access to quality vision care."

Lyons was inspired to hear how 23-year-old Kanchana received her first pair of glasses the day after she got married. She had struggled to see clearly until visiting a newly-opened vision center in a remote area of Sri Lanka. A locally-trained vision technician provided Kanchana with her first eye exam and recommended the glasses that will enable her to enter her new life with clear vision for the future.

By the end of 2009, Optometry Giving Sight will have distributed $3 million through its partners to help screen and provide basic eyecare services to more than 1.7 million people, train 1,550 mid-level eyecare personnel, and create 101 vision centers/optical workshops. The funds will be directed to projects in Sri Lanka, southern Africa, East Timor, Latin America, indigenous Australia, Papua New Guinea and other parts of the world.

It can cost just $5 to provide an eye examination, a pair of glasses and residual training to local staff in countries where eyecare services are few.

Valley Eyecare & Eyewear Gallery is located at 1644 Highway 395, unit B-1, in Minden. Call 783-1111 to schedule an appointment.

For more information about Optometry Giving Sight and the World Sight Day Challenge, visit www.givingsight.org.