Optometry Giving Sight announces 2012 World Sight Day Challenge

Optometry Giving Sight invites the North American ophthalmic industry to join its annual World Sight Day Company Challenge by raising funds throughout October for people who are blind or vision impaired simply because they cannot access an eye exam and glasses.

One of the first companies to announce its support for the 2012 challenge is TLC Vision, according to an Optometry Giving Sight press release. The 50 TLC Laser Eye Centers will celebrate sight, raise funds and participate in employee giving programs leading up to World Sight Day on Oct. 11.

As a strong show of support, TLC Vision has also become a silver national sponsor of Optometry Giving Sight, the release said. The company will be making a donation of $5 for every completed consultation between June and October and will invite their patients to make donations as well.

“The World Sight Day Company Challenge has tremendous potential to unify and rally the eye care profession around a common goal – giving sight and hope to those in the most desperate need,” George Neal, chief executive officer for TLC Vision Centers, said in the release. “It’s also a great way to let our patients know that as a company we want to make a positive impact in the world. We provide vision locally and think globally for the greater good.”

Other companies that have already committed to participating include CooperVision, Marchon, Hoya, Alcon, Essilor, ABB Concise, Transitions Optical, Focus Laboratories, AllAboutVison.com, SynergEyes, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (Canada), Westgroupe (Canada), Carl Zeiss Vision (Canada) and the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association.

“Each year more and more optical companies are choosing to take the challenge and support a charity that is directly related to eye care,” Clive Miller, Optometry Giving Sight global CEO, said in the release. “We hope that many more will make a company donation and/or encourage their staff to fundraise throughout October and match their efforts.”

Optometry Giving Sight specifically targets the prevention of blindness and impaired vision due to uncorrected refractive error. It currently funds 35 projects in 23 countries including schools of optometry, the establishment of locally staffed vision centers and the promotion of optometry as a recognized and respected profession throughout the world.

For more information, go to www.givingsight.org or call (800) OGS GIVE.

Primary Care Optometry News provides this information as a service to its readers.