The mission statement of the Lions Sight Conservation and Work with The Blind Program is: to provide programs and assistance to aid people who are blind and visually impaired, and to work at eliminating preventable and reversible blindness.

Blindness and Visual Impairment
The World Health Organization estimates that more than 161 million people are visually impaired; among them, 124 million have low vision and 37 million are blind. Another 153 million people suffer from visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive errors (near-sightedness, far-sightedness or astigmatism). Click here to learn more.

The Role of the Chairperson
The Sight Chairperson helps to organize and implement projects that provide assistance to aid blind and visually impaired children and adults and promote awareness of blindness prevention. The chairperson provides motivation and support needed to encourage club and district participation in sight-related projects. He or she serves a one-year term and is appointed by the council chairperson at the multiple district level and the district governor at the district level. Chairperson responsibilities include:

• Setting goals.  Evaluate the effectiveness of current club and district-level sight-related projects. Develop goals and an overall district plan, including procedures required to fulfill the plan. Upon district governor's approval, post and promote the plan via the district Web site, an open letter in the district governor's newsletter, e-mails, personal letters, telephone calls, or personal visits.
• Incorporating new project ideas contributed by clubs. Generate participation through new projects and activities, while also enhancing the existing local, regional, or national programs. Work with local healthcare professionals and organizations to determine community needs and provide the most appropriate services.
• Arranging seminars and workshops to provide educational resources and information on sight conservation and work with the blind or visually impaired. Invite health care professionals as speakers to help motivate clubs to participate in sight-related projects.
• Informing clubs about district and multiple district sight-related resources available for children and adults.
• Reporting sight-related activities to the district cabinet and to the local media through communications with the district public relations chairperson. 

District Chairperson should be familiar with:

• Lions board policy as it pertains to the Sight Conservation and Work with The Blind Program
• Eye health, low vision, blindness and eye diseases, including Diabetic Retinopathy, Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Cataracts, Corneal transplants and eye banking, Trachoma, Vitamin A deficiency, and Onchocerciasis (Riverblindness)
• Lions Eye Bank Program
• Lions Eyeglass Recycling Program
• District and/or multiple district rehabilitation, vocational or support services for The Blind and Visually Impaired
• Lions Recreational Camps for The Blind and Visually Impaired

Publications and CD's available

• New: Lions Recycle For Sight Information Kit (KITFRS), English only: contains ready-to-use samples of promotional materials to raise public awareness of your eyeglass collection efforts, including an attractive community poster, informational brochure, window cling and more. Promotional materials can be ordered at a nominal cost in quantities desired.
• New: "Recycle For Sight" Audio CD (English only): learn more about eyeglass recycling, Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers and Lions eye care missions as presented in this outstanding seminar at the 2007 International Convention. Click here to order free CD.
• New: "An Eye Opener - Are Your Eyes Healthy?" Audio CD (English only): learn about eye health and vision disorders in adults and children as presented by physicians of the Lions of Illinois Eye Research Institute (LIERI) at the 2007 International Convention. Click here to order free CD.
• "Blindness: Are You At Risk?" (IAD-182): informational brochure that promotes blindness prevention and gives an overview of the leading causes of blindess. Click here to order.
• "Sight Conservation and Work with the Blind" - An Activity Guide for Lions Clubs (IAD-218) provides sight project ideas and resources for providing assistance to people who are blind or visually impaired.
• Lions Eye Bank Listing: Support your local eye bank and promote corneal donation.

DVD available
New: "The Dilated Eye Exam" DVD (DEEDVD), English and Spanish only, is a 12-minute film focusing on the importance of the dilated eye exam to detect diabetic retinopathy affecting people with diabetes. Suitable for viewing at Lions and community events. Click here to purchase via the order form.

Online Resources

• Sight Partnerships: Access downloadable educational materials and resources to promote awareness and blindness prevention.
• Chairperson Newsletter: NEW quarterly newsletter is sent via email to sight chairpersons of record and other Lions interested in sight-related activities. Click here to add your name to the mailing list.
• Lions Newswire: stay up-to-date with the latest Lions announcements and program information. 
• Lions Learning Center: online courses to develop skills for a successful leadership role.
• PR Tools: public service announcements (PSA's), fill-in-the-blank press releases, print ads and other tools can help raise public awareness of your club and district activities.

Sight Events

• Lions World Sight Day: second Thursday in October (October 11, 2007). This year will focus on blindness and childhood; the theme is “VISION For Children.”
• International White Cane Day: October 15
• Sight Night: October 31 (North America)
• Lions Eye Bank Week: first week in December (December 2-8, 2007). Learn more about the sight-saving services of a Lions eye bank and how your clubs and district can help to provide support.
• Glaucoma Awareness month: January
• White Cane Week: Canada (first week in February)
• Eye Donor Awareness Month: March (USA)
• Australian Organ (and Tissue) Donation Awareness Week: February
• Donor Awareness Week: third week in April (Canada)
• Eye Donation Day: September 8 (India)
• Recycle for Sight Month : May
• White Cane Week: third week in May (May 13-19, 2008-USA)
• Helen Keller Day: June 1
• Also sight related (diabetic retinopathy): Diabetes Awareness Month (November) and World Diabetes Day (November 14, 2007)

Awards
International Headquarters provides District Governors with the Excellence in Effort certificate. On behalf of the Association, the District Governor presents the award to the one club in the district that has been the most active with sight-related activities.

Examples of such service may include:

• Partnering with local eye care professionals or organizations to conduct vision, glaucoma and cataract screenings
• Working with local schools and preschools on vision screenings
• Presenting a community awareness proram about eye health and safety
• Promoting and supporting Campaign SightFirst II
• Providing support to a recreational camp for adults or children with visual impairments

Contact us
Chairpersons are encouraged to submit information and photographs of successful sight-related projects to the Health & Children's Services Department. For more information about any of the above programs or publications, please contact us:

Health & Children's Services 
Lions Clubs International
300 W 22nd Street
Oak Brook,  Illinois 60523-8842 USA
Ph: 630-571-5466, ext. 318 or 320
E-mail: programs@lionsclubs.org