Columbia, SC – World Sight Day is October 13, 2022, a day to focus the world’s attention on the importance of eye care. Nearly everyone on the planet will experience an eye health issue in their lifetime, however, more than a billion people worldwide do not have access to the services they need to see clearly. Today South Carolina has another voice dedicated to strengthening and stimulating a national dialogue and policy on vision-related problems and disabilities through the Congressional Vision Caucus (CVC): Representative Ralph Norman of the 5th District of South Carolina.
The CVC is both bipartisan and bicameral, and Rep. Norman is the first member of South Carolina’s Congressional Delegation to join the group. The CVC, co-chaired by Rep. Gus Bilirakis and Rep. David Price, has three priority areas of focus: research, prevention/public health, and access to treatment and rehabilitation.
The mission of the CVC is to:
- Set forth a national vision strategy to raise awareness about the increasing number of Americans at risk for age-related diseases.
- Provide better understanding of the personal risk of vision loss and stress the importance of necessary steps to preserve and protect eyesight.
- Inform communities so that they may prepare the treatment and rehabilitation services that will be needed.
- Educate Members of Congress so they comprehend the scope of eye problems in our country.
- And ensure adequate resources are directed towards the research, prevention, and treatment of eye disease.
With the number of blind and visually impaired South Carolinians set to double by 2030 without effective and immediate intervention, increasing education, awareness, and action on eye health is critical to the safety and sustainability of our communities. You can celebrate World Sight Day by taking the following actions:
1.) Get your eyes tested. Be sure you are receiving an annual eye exam to monitor the health and development of your eyes.
2.) Use social media to add your voice to World Sight Day. Use the hashtag #LoveYourEyes to share information from Lions Vision Services and other eye experts to promote increased awareness of vision and eye health.
3.) Give the gift of sight. Make a tax-deductible contribution to Lions Vision Services, or to your favorite eye health organization, to support the expansion of eye care services to those in our community who need it most.
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Lions Vision Services (LVS) was created by the Lions Clubs of South Carolina in 1969 and exists today to empower the under-served blind and visually impaired in South Carolina to live safe, meaningful, and fulfilling lives. LVS offers a range of programs and services to low-income South Carolina residents who apply for need-based financial assistance with obtaining eye exams, eyeglasses, affordable eye surgeries, and vision technology. Free vision screenings are provided to promote early detection and correction of vision impairments. Each spring the organization hosts a Blind Fishing event and manages quarterly meetings of the Palmetto Vision Alliance. To learn more about LVS’s services, visit www.lionsvisionservices.org.