…bringing better vision to those in need
IN a world with a population of 7.3 Billion, 36 million are blind; 217 million are living with Moderate and Severe Vision Impairment (MSVI) and 253 million are visually impaired.  But the stark reality is that four out of every five cases or 80 per cent of the world’s blind are avoidably so.
This is according to the most recent figures compiled by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

This year, the ‘Call to Action’ for World Sight Day is:  “Make Vision Count”.
World Sight Day (WSD) is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October, to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment. Additionally, on World Sight Day, IAPB launched the latest data (2015) on the prevalence of avoidable blindness and visual impairment along with the main causes.
Dubbed ‘Sight Conservation Day’ by the Lions Club International, for more than 50 years, the Lions Club has provided eye examinations and new eyeglasses to low-income persons and less fortunate children.

Here in Guyana, the Lions Club of Bel-Air, which has an ongoing interest in sight conservation, has been focusing, not only on initiatives that bring attention on blindness and vision impairment, but more importantly, has been focusing on ‘prevention initiatives’, such as providing free screening for targeted groups, as well as testing and assisting with providing spectacles for persons needing these, but unable to afford them.
On Sight Conservation Day (October 12, 2017), the Lions Club of Bel-Air teamed up with the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman, to facilitate the screening of the orphans (boys) residing at the Shaheed Boys Orphanage located on Alexander Street, Kitty and girls from the Oleander Gardens facility.  The screening was done at the Alexander Street facility.  Thirty-four orphans were screened in the exercise, the purpose of which is to determine whether there is a need for testing for spectacles.

For the screening, the Lions team was led by President Lion Tara Naraine,  accompanied by Chairperson of the Sight Conservation Committee, Lion Natalia Azeez and Chairperson of the Diabetes Committee, Lion Candace Forde and other members of the Club.  These gestures constitute an annual ‘Sight Conservation’ initiative in observance of Sight Conservation Month, according to Lion President Tara Naraine, and the screening is to determine whether there are children in need of follow up testing.

The Club, in collaboration with St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital also conducts a free medical clinic every month at the Lions Club, Enachu Street, Campbellville.
Meanwhile, another gesture undertaken by the Lions Club of Bel-Air in observance of Sight Conservation Day, was the serving of free lunch to 50 visually impaired persons at the Guyana Society for the Blind, High Street, Georgetown.
Gestures such as these, according to Lion President Tara Naraine, make a direct impact on prevention of impaired vision and moreso blindness, and are conducted by the Lions Clubs each year, in observance of Sight Conservation Month.

Major Sight Conservation Project
And on a larger scale, with kind assistance from Modern Optical and the Diaspora, through Lions Immediate Past International President, Bob Corlew, a Sight Conservation Project involving three schools and which commenced in May, has now been completed Lion Naraine reported.  She said that a total of 260 students were screened from the three schools, namely:  Redeemer Primary School;  Bel-Air Primary and Campbellville Secondary School.
Sixty (60) students were shorted listed and received eye examinations done by Dr. Yohan Da Silva from Modern Optical Service on Middle Street. Coming out of this, a total of 48 students have received eyeglasses from this project.

Presentation of Eye Glasses
Spectacles were provided at a reduced by Dr. Da Silva Modern Optical as well as from Lions Immediate Past International President, Bob Corlew. A kind donation of eyeglasses was also received from Dr. Jeff Chapman, a member of the Bedford Township Lions Club.
The Lion President expressed profound gratitude to Dr. Yohan Da Silva  and his kind staff for coming on board with  this project: To Dr. Yohan  Silva  and his kind Staff of Modern Optical Service on Middle Street and at the Diamond location as well

“Sincere thanks to all our hard-working Lions and also to Lions Immediate Past International President, Bob Corlew” who assisted with the presentation of eyeglasses to some students during his visit here in July,” Lion Naraine gratefully acknowledged.
She also expressed gratitude for the contribution of those who performed the screening exercise; transportation of the children from their schools and to members who in various other ways, helped make the initiative a huge success.