by Melitta J. Cutright

Each year Lions around the world mark Lions World Sight Day (LWSD) in October with vision screenings, community education programs and other special projects. This year, for the first time, the main events for LWSD were held in India where from October 13-15 Lions in the Hyderabad area spotlighted the importance of eradicating preventable blindness—especially among children—and improving vision.

“The official events for LWSD were held this year in India to recognize the outstanding efforts that Lions clubs in India have made in the battle for vision,” says International President Ashok Mehta. “It was also in recognition of the importance of Lions and Lions’ service to the India nation that the President of India helped us launch important new Lions projects that will greatly benefit children and those in danger of losing their sight throughout India.”

LWSD activities began on October 13 with a rally, led by President Mehta and other Lions leaders, through the streets of Hyderabad. That afternoon, the official World Sight Day launch was held in association with Vision 2020 and the government of India. The chief guest was the nation’s minister for health.

On October 14, Lions sponsored a full day of seminars for eye care professionals at LV Prasad Eye Institute. The seminars focused on diabetic retinopathy and the prevention of blindness in children. The Special Olympics new Global Curriculum was also debuted. Later on Thursday, International President Mehta and other Lions leaders held a press conference, which was well attended by reporters from major local and national media. Following the conference, Lions hosted a gala dinner for leaders of business, government including the minister for information & broadcasting, non-government agencies and Lions from around India. They reported on the great success of the SightFirst Program and the launching of Campaign SightFirst II,  which aims to raise US$150 million to continue to prevent blindness and restore sight and an additional US$50 million for research and rehabilitation.

On October 15, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the president of India, joined with International President Mehta to officially launch Sight For Kids, a project of LCIF and Johnson & Johnson, to screen the vision of school children ages 5-9 as well as provide eye health education for parents and teachers. President Kalam praised the Sight For Kids Project. “Defect-free vision for all should be our national mission,” he said. “The eye problems of the children can be corrected if diagnosed early. Such programs should aim at screening all the children. I am glad that today we are launching Sight for Kids.”

Lions also launched a US$398,430 project to prevent diabetic retinopathy. “The number of people with diabetes in India is expected to double in the next 25 years,” said International President Mehta. “This SightFirst grant will allow LV Prasad to partner with 14 Lions eye hospitals on a comprehensive diabetic retinopathy education, screening and treatment project that has the potential to assist nearly 450,000 people with diabetes.” According to Indian President Kamal, “This is the right time to launch the diabetic retinopathy programs to build capacity among our medical professionals to handle this disease.”

Also as part of LWSD activities, Lions in District 324-C5 in the Hyderabad area conducted vision screenings in 50 government schools between October 1 and 31. They screened more than 25,000 children and provided free eyeglasses to those who needed them. Lions clubs of Anna Nagar and Lions of 324-A1 also conducted health check-ups for media and held a press conference at which they announced a large service project that will be part of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Lions clubs in India. 

LWSD events received excellent coverage on television and in newspapers in India as well as on the Internet, and many of the events were televised.

Lions Around the World Mark LWSD
As part of LWSD, the Lions Club of Ndola in Zambia provided eyeglasses to residents of Mitanda Home for the Aged.  Lions in Nairobi, Kenya, screened 1,000 patients at the Loresho Eye Hospital and provided support for 46 free cataract operations. Lions in New Zealand conducted a nationwide drive entitled “Recycle for Sight Week” to collect used eyeglasses. The glasses will be recycled at one of two Lions eyeglass recycling centers and distributed throughout the islands of the Pacific.

Lions in the Cayman Islands worked with local doctors to visit schools where they tested the sight of all first-year children entering primary and high schools. They also collected eyeglasses to be recycled. In the United Kingdom, Lions opened their first Lions eye bank, the Lions Eye Bank at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, and launched Campaign SightFirst II. Their patron, the Countess of Wessex, officially opened the eye bank and pressed the button to launch the CSFII fundraising campaign. The Seneca, South Carolina, Lions Club collected used eyeglasses at a drop-off site at a local store where they had a large eyeglass collection box made out of a former street mailbox, while the Pocono, Pennsylvania, Lions Club also used a former street mailbox to help collect more than 1,300 pairs of glasses that will be recycled. International President Mehta also participated in LWSD activities in the Czech Republic late in October.

Start Planning Now for 2006
International President Mehta has called upon all Lions clubs to begin now to plan a club event for Lions World Sight Day on October 12, 2006, or at another time during the month of October.  For suggestions, download the “Lions World Sight Day Activity Guide” or call the PR Department at 630-571-5466, ext 358 for a copy.