A bounty of support for the victims of the Sept. 11 tragedy

The ophthalmology industry reached out to donate money and supplies after the devastating attacks on New York City and Washington.

After the events of Sept. 11, many eye care associations and corporations made contributions and other efforts to help the victims, their families and rescue workers.

In a statement released by American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) president George Blankenship, MD, he expressed sorrow for the victims of the terrorist attacks and reiterated the AAO’s ongoing commitment to preserving human life.

“As physicians, we are committed to healing humanity,” Dr. Blankenship said. “Our charge to ‘Do No Harm’ is the antithesis of those who spread evil in the world. Our oath to serve humanity is strengthened by the sorrows and pains we see thrust before us in tragic detail.”

The AAO and its members are involved in the disaster rescue and relief efforts. AAO members volunteered at the attack sites. (See "Experience at 'ground zero' prompts recommendations", also appearing in this issue.) The AAO’s Corporate Advisory Council coordinated efforts to collect donations of needed medical supplies. The AAO staff began fundraising and blood donation efforts to help the injured and the families of the victims.

The AAO’s Web site, www.eyenet.org, is continuing to provide updated information on national news, the AAO’s response, the ophthalmic industry’s response, volunteer and service options, members’ personal stories and experiences, links to survivor and missing persons’ Web sites and messages of condolence from around the world.

Companies did their part

Businesses of all sizes made efforts to help the victims of the terrorist attacks.

Bausch & Lomb announced Sept. 14 that the company had donated a truckload of eye care products to New York City to assist relief workers. The workers were experiencing severe eye irritation from dust and debris from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, and it was reported that there were shortages of eye care products in the New York City area.

The products were sent by truck to the American Red Cross Headquarters Gifts-in-Kind office in Manhattan for distribution to hospitals, clinics and other treatment facilities caring for relief workers and survivors of the Sept. 11 attacks. The products included over-the-counter items Bausch & Lomb Eye Wash, Moisture Eyes Lubricant Eye Drops and Artificial Tears, as well as prescription eye medicines including antibiotic eye drops. In all, there were 18,000 units of product on the first truck. Bausch & Lomb promised to send subsequent truckloads of products as the items were depleted and the Red Cross reported continued need for them.

In addition, Bausch & Lomb is matching dollar-for-dollar all financial donations made by its employees to the American Red Cross.

Novartis Corporation, the parent company of CIBA Vision and Novartis Ophthalmics, announced Sept. 19 the donation of $3 million to the American Red Cross to aid in disaster relief as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The company has also donated all available supplies of Apligraf, a skin replacement product for burn victims.

CIBA Vision also sent 22,000 bottles of SoftWear Saline to the American Red Cross in New York City to ease the irritation caused by the soot and debris of the World Trade Center explosions.

“We wish to express our compassion for everyone who is suffering as a consequence of the terrorist attacks,” said Dan Vasella, chairman and CEO of Novartis AG.

Shortly after the World Trade Center disaster, Alcon Humanitarian Services received a call requesting irrigating solution. The Fort Worth, Texas-based company immediately contacted U.S. relief agencies on the East Coast, with whom they have worked with before on disaster relief efforts, but they were unable to provide an effective means of distribution to the site. An attempt to find avenues of distribution through the American Red Cross also was not successful.

Humanitarian Services’ first deliveries of products were coordinated with the help of Alcon Surgical Account Manager Gene Maresca, working with New York Eye & Ear Infirmary and through Steven Podos, MD, director of ophthalmology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

Alcon was prepared to ship large quantities of whatever was needed from its warehouse in Elkridge, Md. Alcon wanted to ensure the receiving situation at the disaster site would be able to effectively accommodate the donation. Learning that a large shipment would be unmanageable and only add to the existing chaos, the company prepared a suitable quantity. Specifically requested anesthetics, antibiotics, combination antibiotic-steroid medications, cycloplegics, along with large quantities of tears products and saline solution, were delivered early in the morning on Sept. 14 to New York Eye & Ear and Mount Sinai hospitals. Alcon explained that these specifically requested medications were distributed to volunteer ophthalmologists and residents and were transported by police from the hospitals to triage areas to treat the large number of eye injuries.

Orbis International, the flying eye hospital, had often been the recipient of Alcon donations for many years. Its U.S. headquarters office is located within 4 miles of the WTC. The company was aware of Orbis’s warehouse in New Jersey. Upon contacting Orbis, the company learned its warehouse is part of Supor & Sons, a large warehouse complex about 30 minutes from ground zero. Its large trucks and personnel were willing to accept and assist in distributing many pallet loads of donations to the point of need. Additionally, the warehouse is accustomed to working with the Port Authority and other officials for deliveries, which ensured an effective avenue of delivery of Alcon products.

After an assessment of needs, additional OTC products were delivered to Supor warehouse on Monday, Sept. 17. As requests were received by phone, Alcon was able to refer these calls to this locale where those in need were able to either pick up saline solution or ask that it be delivered to them.

Another Alcon contact in New York who was familiar with the Pentagon situation requested on Sept. 17 a donation for rescue workers in Washington. A supply of saline solution and Bion Tears were delivered to a distribution point on Sept. 18.

In addition, Cedar Valley College of Veterinary Technology in Lancaster, Texas, was working with the American Veterinary Medical Association to provide medications and tears products for search and rescue dogs working in the disaster areas. These dogs dealt with the same eye-related hazards as human rescue and relief workers. Alcon products were provided immediately.

German company Breitfeld & Schliekert, a supplier of optical tools and supply parts, announced Sept. 19 its offer of support and condolences to the victims of the terrorist attacks in Washington, D.C., New York and Pennsylvania. Though a German company for 75 years and a U.S. company for 6 months, Breitfeld & Schliekert said it was affected by this tragedy. As a gesture of sympathy, Breitfeld and Schliekert pledged to donate 5% of all sales made through its Web site www.sight-tools.com from Sept. 24 through Oct. 31 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

Also using the timeline approach to donation, Volk Optical announced Sept. 26 it had established a donation program for the Sept. 11 tragedy.

In an effort to help the families of the victims, the rescue workers, and the clean up and rebuilding, Volk Optical will donate a portion of all proceeds from Sept. 11 through Nov. 30. This donation will be earmarked for the September 11th Fund.

Among the companies to offer support in the wake of the WTC tragedy, Johnson & Johnson has pledged a $10-million package of financial and product aid to help those affected by the terrorist attacks.

Essilor has launched the “Essilor of America and Essilor Canada Support the American Red Cross” program. The company will match any donation to the American Red Cross made by an Essilor employee in the United States or Canada.

Luxottica has donated $100,000 to the emergency relief efforts and has given 1,000 safety glasses to relief workers. In addition, the company is providing free eyewear and contact lenses (and eye exams if needed) to those workers.

Titmus Optical parent Bacou-Dalloz sent eye-, hearing-, respiratory- and hand-protection products to help in the relief effort.

Cadore Moda is donating 5% of its earnings in September and October to the American Red Cross to assist the victims of the tragedies.

Prio Corp. will donate 25 cents for every frame sold in its new Kids eyewear collection to the New York Fire Department’s Widows & Children’s Fund, to aid families of firefighters lost at the World Trade Center.

The Corning Foundation is donating $200,000 to the September 11th Fund and the American Red Cross and is matching employee donations.

IVE West members donate

When the tragic events of September 11 forced the cancellation of the International Vision Exposition (IVE) West, scheduled for September 21-23 in Las Vegas, they prompted Vision Council of America (VCA) and Associations Exhibition and Services to establish a fund to benefit those most directly affected by the tragedy.

On Sept. 19, the Vision Council of America Humanitarian Relief Fund was launched with the goal of raising $1 million, of which $250,000 has already been pledged. “The establishment of this fund is viewed by VCA, co-sponsors of International Vision Expo West, as a way for the entire vision community to channel its humanitarian efforts through a single organization,” explained VCA Chairman of the Board Peter Frieder.

The VCA has made an initial contribution of $50,000, an amount equivalent to 10% of its annual membership dues. In addition, companies represented on the VCA Board of Directors have voted to contribute 10% of their IVE West floor space costs to the fund.

The VCA board is represented by Carl Zeiss Optical; DAC Vision; Essilor Lenses; Eyewear Designs; Gentex Optics; Gerber Coburn Optical; Hoya Vision Care of North America; Luxottica Group; Marchon Eyewear; PPG Industries; REM Eyewear; Rodenstock North America; Safilo USA, Inc.; Satis Vacuum of America; Signet Armorlite; Sola Optical USA; Universal Photonics; Viva International Group; Younger Optics; and Zyloware Corporation.

All IVE West exhibitors were being asked to make a similar charitable, tax-free donation equivalent to 10% or more of their floor space costs (funds will be transferred from deposits held by IVE West). To contribute, contact VCA Manager of Show and Member Relations Dana Wardlow at (703) 548-4560.

One hundred percent of the contributions collected through this fund were donated to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, United Way September 11th Fund, NY Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund and NY Fraternal Order of Police Fund. If all IVE West exhibitors contributed to this fund, more than $600,000 would be raised.

“In addition to asking our colleagues in the vision industry to contribute,” Mr. Frieder stated, “we will be asking eye care professionals to make contributions as well.” More than 10,000 eye care professionals will be contacted by e-mail and asked to donate to the fund, and VCA member companies have been asked to contact their customers about contributing.

For Your Information:

• Individuals can send donations to VCA Humanitarian Relief Fund, PO Box 77097, Washington, DC 20013; (800) 424-8422.