Comments from World Sight Day Challenge 07
Read more comments from participants of last year's World Sight Day Challenge by either scrolling down the page or clicking the links below.
United States | Australia | Canada | United Kingdom
United States
Hans M. Kell - Front Range Eye Health Center, Colorado
"For those fortunate, the thought of living every moment with blurred vision due simply to uncorrected refractive error is unthinkable. Yet worldwide, this startling reality significantly limits the lives of millions of otherwise visually healthy individuals. Optometry Giving Sight delivers the worldwide resources necessary to provide glasses to those in need. With respect to optometry, Optometry Giving Sight is a perfect match to assist in this global effort. I encourage every Vision Source doctor to share the benefits of success with those less advantaged, no matter the cause. However you choose your charities of choice, I urge every Vision Source doctor to seriously consider contributing to Optometry Giving Sight."
Stuart Bark – Family Eyecare Associates, Arizona
Family EyeCare Associates in Arizona, U.S., has issued the World Sight Day Challenge to all Vision Source Arizona practices. Last year the practice donated over $5,000 in exam fees from World Sight Day.
“I feel Optometry Giving Sight is a most worthwhile organization, and one that all optometrists should support. Last year, I thought of giving one day’s receipts for services on World Sight Day. This amounted to almost $5,000. Now, we also give a $100 donation automatically each month. We give an Optometry Giving Sight pamphlet to all patients and encourage them to contribute personally. And we also have a donation box at the checkout counter where we ask them to donate if they have a “no charge” frame adjustment, or free cleaner, or simply want to make a cash donation.”
Dr Moes Nasser – Family Eye Centers, Texas
As a child in Tanzania, Dr. Moes Nasser did not have access to an eye exam or pair of glasses. His first pair of glasses were given to him by a neighbor.
Now living and working in the U.S., Dr. Nasser's three Houston practices will participate in the World Sight Day Challenge on October 11th and in the Practice Giving Program all year round. In one month his three practices generated over $1,400 in donations - the largest monthly donation from a Vision Source practice.
“Not only do I relate to the millions who are blind because they do not have glasses, but I know I am very fortunate to be practicing a tremendous profession which has given me a great deal of satisfaction and a great quality of life for my family. Optometry Giving Sight is a way for us to give back to the community—after all we are just giving back a small piece of what has been given to us.“
Barb Wohlk, immediate Past Chair of the Paraoptometric Section
“World Sight Day is an exciting opportunity for the paraoptometric community to really show its strength by getting behind Optometry’s International Charity of Choice. Many paraoptometrics are looking for ways to become more involved in our profession while adding to their personal development and growth. World Sight Day offers an opportunity to engage themselves and their practice in a positive event in the global community - all the while promoting their practice in the local community. I encourage everyone to support ending refractive error blindness - and the World Sight Day Challenge is a great place to begin!”
Ashely Scantling – USA
Ashley Scantling, a student at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, U.S., was the very first optometry student to take the World Sight Day Challenge.
“This is a no brainer. Every student can afford $5 per month. This is our profession and we should be part of this Challenge. I will be encouraging everyone at my school in Oklahoma to get involved," said Ashley.
Australia
Kelli – Leunig & Farmer Eyecare, Warragul
“We are really pleased with how this morning went. Star FM’s live cross gave a full explanation of the World Sight Day Challenge and invited listeners to come and donate at the Star FM van outside Leunig & Farmer Eyecare. Listeners who came down also received food, magazines and World Sight Day Challenge badges, book marks and pamphlets.
“Warragul staff rattled the tins in their World Sight Day Challenge t-shirts and Star FM will continue to promote the cause over the next week and let listeners know they can donate at any Leunig & Farmer Eyecare in Warragul, Pakenham, Moe or Drouin.”
Alison - Eyecare Plus Ulladulla
"It’s going really well. We have had a lot of interest from patients. We ran an ad in the local paper and have the tin on the counter. We have had a lot of people coming into the practice and making a donation in the tin just because of our ad. Many of them have donated $5 and one person even popped in $20. Some of these people had appointments on the day but many didn’t, they just came in to donate their money. It’s been great for business!"
Adrian Cornale - Port Macquarie EyecarePlus
“All went well on World Sight Day, we appeared in two local papers and have had good support from patients. One patient donated $50!! We are going to continue to push the Challenge for the month of October, so I am hopeful we should get a lot more patients on board.”
Canada
Joan Hansen - Canada
“I’ve committed to donating my eye exam revenue on World Sight Day this year and last year I did a similar thing on Halloween, when the office staff and myself were in costume. A one day concentrated effort worked well for me. It allowed me to discuss Optometry Giving Sight with every patient I saw that day; some even contributed from their own wallets.”
Dr Joan Hansen, Canada
Dr Kirsten North – Vice President of the CAO
“Just wanted to let you know how much fun we are having here on World Sight Day! I’m having a great time chatting about our charity and the patients so far have been very generous!”
Dr Len Koltun, President of the CAO
“All of our staff wore the T shirts (no exceptions) and we enjoyed patient’s comments. Everyone was proud to be a part of this project and gained insight (and were subsequently able to explain to patients) how the money we donated will be used for avoidable blindness in less fortunate countries around the world. It was a mutually beneficial experience.”
Dr. Michelle Georgi of Winnipeg Manitoba
“We had fun wearing the T-shirts and promoting a very worthy cause. We also sent out a press release, which was printed in our local community paper.”
Jennifer Leung – CIBA Vision Cananda Inc.
“We had a wonderful week of FUNdraising here at CIBA Vision last week! We raised $1033.13 for Optometry Giving Sight! Thanks for all your support, the video, balloons and buttons came in very handy! I can’t wait to BREAK our record next year!!!”
United Kingdom
Jonathan Walker – Jonathan Walker Optometrists
Jonathan Walker Optometrists was the first practice in the UK to sign up to donate eye examination fees on World Sight Day, October 11th.
Jonathan explains why he has chosen to take part: “My practice already donates to Optometry Giving Sight on a regular basis, but World Sight Day is a particularly important day for all optometrists to reflect on the importance of what we do – and remember that there are 300 million people in the world whose lives could be improved simply by having access to an eye exam and pair of glasses. This is optometry’s opportunity to make a difference”.
Lynn White
Lynn White, optometrist and Association of Optometrists Councillor in the UK, has pledged to donate her professional fees on World Sight Day. “No matter how you are involved in the optometric industry, there is scope for every one of us to get involved in the World Sight Day Challenge. I urge all everyone to sign up now!”
Mark Soper - Mark Soper Opticians
Mark Soper Opticians in Hailsham will be donating his practice’s eye examination fees on World Sight Day. Mark comments, “the moment the sign up form arrived I knew this was something we wanted to get involved in. We are a relatively new practice and this is an excellent opportunity to raise much needed funds and promote the practice further. We will avoid doing any dispensing on World Sight Day itself so that we can fit in as many eye examinations as possible.”
Michelle Beavers - Helensburgh Eyecare
Michelle Beavers from Helensburgh Eyecare in Scotland will be taking a product-related angle to the World Sight Day Challenge by donating £10 from each pair of spectacles sold: “Due to the new fees structure in Scotland people now receive their eye examination for “free” so it didn’t seem appropriate to donate our eye exam fees. Instead we decided to make a donation for each pair of spectacles sold and ask patients if they would like to donate too”.
