World Sight Day! We Care!

Our optometrists at Vision Source New Westminster are taking part in the World Sight Day Challenge

during October to help give the gift of vision to people in underserved communities around the world.

Now in its 10th year, the World Sight Day Challenge is the largest annual global fundraising campaign to address avoidable blindness caused by uncorrected refractive error – simply the need for an eye exam and glasses. The campaign is run by global charity, Optometry Giving Sight.

Dr. Pavan Avinashi will be supporting the Challenge by matching all donations over $20 between October 7th and October 21st. Vision Source New Westminster is also participating throughout October by holding a raffle/donation with prizes worth thousands of dollars to help the more than 600 million people in the world who are blind or vision impaired because they do not have access to an eye exam or glasses.

“I have supported Optometry Giving Sight for 10 years,” said Dr. Avinashi. “Preventable blindness is a solvable problem and we are proud to help give better vision to those in need. Most people are surprised to learn that for as little as $5 someone living in an underserved community can be provided with an eye exam and a pair of glasses to transform their lives. Everyone can make a huge difference and we are thrilled to be contributing to the challenge.”

Participating is easy – simply make a single or monthly donation before the end of October. The campaign’s goal is to raise $1 million globally in 2016.

Changing Lives:

Socheata is 17 years old and in her final year of studies. She recently received an eye examination as part of a School Eye Health program at her school in Cambodia part funded by Optometry Giving Sight. “When I was in grade 11, I was really struggling to see,” she said. “I found trying to see or read long distance an immense struggle, especially while the teacher was writing on the board. Once I received my glasses I started to use them often for travelling to school, especially for school time and doing house work. I felt comfortable wearing my glasses and was no longer getting dizzy or suffering from headaches from straining my eyes”.

To date, Optometry Giving Sight has disbursed funding from donors and sponsors to 106 projects in 42 countries. For more information, go to www.givingsight.org.

Vision Source New Westminster is located at 301 East Columbia Street in New Westminster, BC. Call 604.553.3900 to schedule an appointment.