Author: Corinne Waldon

When people worry about necessities like food, shelter, and employment, their eye care often falls to the wayside. In North Carolina, 12% of the population lives in poverty and many are also uninsured. In Her Vision is dedicated to empowering women, children, LGBTQ+ and gender non-binary individuals in underserved communities to live their lives with confidence by providing access to basic vision services.

The non-profit works with other community organizations to provide free eye examinations and eyeglasses. These organizations include homeless shelters, domestic abuse shelters, recovery homes for women, youth at-risk programs, and more.

In Her Vision started its work on a small scale, reaching non-profit status in 2022. Currently, the organization runs one mobile clinic per month. Anywhere from 10 to 20 patients at each clinic receive comprehensive eye exams and are fitted with a free pair of glasses on site.

Thanks to the support of OGS, In Her Vision is able to hire additional personnel, allowing them to expand to four clinics per month and serve up to 40 patients at each event. Through the funding, 3,200 people every year will benefit. The OGS funding also enabled the organization to hire a driver, expanding its reach beyond its current 20-mile radius to those living in surrounding counties.

Based in Durham, In Her Vision was founded by Dr. Mojgan Besharat, a queer woman of color and first-generation immigrant. Dr. Besharat has been in clinical practice as an optometrist since 1997.

“We know there is inequity in treating certain groups of people such as women and children of color, queer and gender non-confirming individuals,” said Dr. Besharat. “Every bit of help will allow us to continue to expand our work for those who are underserved, and we are thankful for the support of Optometry Giving Sight.”

On a recent day at a primary school in rural Westmoreland, Jamaica, a teacher sat at her desk in the front of the brightly painted classroom with a young boy by her side. He watched intently as she reviewed his assignments, her pen poised to create the check marks that would indicate good work. With each check mark she made his anticipation surely grew.

Finally, the last stroke of her pen formed the shape of another check mark. Immediately she turned to the boy and raised her hand for a celebratory high-five. “Justin did it,” she exclaimed! A brief moment, perhaps, but a milestone nonetheless.

For six-year-old Justin success in school has not come easily. Significant vision impairment hampered his earlier efforts to succeed. For children like Justin who are unable to see clearly, the classroom is especially challenging. They struggle with written directions, reading comprehension, completing assignments and can have trouble staying focused in school. And, beyond the classroom, vision impairment can severely impact a child’s ability to interact with peers and participate in social and physical activities.

Justin’s teachers suspected he was struggling before Justin could even articulate what was wrong. Yet, thanks to the See Better.Learn Better initiative funded in part by Optometry Giving Sight, Justin underwent an in-school vision screening – his first — offered twice yearly by See Better.Learn Better in numerous primary schools in Jamaica.

Through the program, students at the schools undergo an annual eye exam and receive eyeglasses if needed. And, students are referred to other professionals for additional testing and treatment if necessary. Justin received prescription glasses and was referred for further testing. Students are then re-screened several times throughout their first six years in school. If their vision needs change – or they need different glasses to accommodate their growing bodies – they are given a new pair. And all of this is provided at no cost, thanks to donors who give so generously to Optometry Giving Sight to support programs such as See Better.Learn Better Jamaica. Click here to see a video of Justin.

It is estimated that 80% of what children learn is visually-based. Good vision helps us navigate the world, allows us to learn by doing, enables us to make sense of what we experience around us, and improves our ability to engage with the world and others in it. Imagine how much Justin might have missed if he hadn’t received this initial vision screening.

Good vision is a gift. And we hope that this holiday season you will consider giving the gift of sight to others like Justin. A one-time or recurring donation to Optometry Giving Sight allows us to continue our support of See Better.Learn Better and other sustainable programs whose goal it is to end preventable vision impairment and blindness in areas of the world in which a simple eye exam can be the difference between a life lived on the sidelines and a life fully lived.

Optometry Giving Sight supports sustainable and scalable optometry-led programs that educate eye care providers locally and enable the establishment and delivery of vision care and eye health to all. Please click here to make a donation.

Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) is pleased to announce that Sarah Burtner, M.A., has joined our staff as Director of Communications.

“We’re excited to welcome Sarah to our team,” said Lois Schoenbrun, executive director, OGS. “She brings a wealth of experience in communications, marketing and public relations to the organization, and has served in the non-profit sector as a volunteer, Board Member and senior staff member.

“That, combined with her leadership experience and passion for mission-driven work, make her a great fit for OGS,” Schoenbrun adds.

In the role, Burtner is responsible for directing, implementing, and managing the flow of communication and information between OGS and various global audiences, including the ophthalmic press, optometric profession, ophthalmic industry, patients and practices. She will work closely with staff in the U.S. and Canada offices to manage communications for all OGS programs, events and campaigns.

Burtner comes to OGS from the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International, where she most recently served as Director of the APCO Institute, the training division of APCO. Prior to that, she worked in marketing and public relations at organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of Illinois and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Communication and Innovation from Texas Tech University.

Optometry Giving Sight was established in 2003 to help create a world in which optometry enables universal access to vision care and eye health. We does so by supporting sustainable and scalable optometry-led programs that educate eye care providers locally and enable the establishment and delivery of vision care and eye health to all.

Over the last 20 years, OGS funding has provided basic eye care services to more than 8 million people, assisted with training more than 14,000 eye care personnel, established more than 130 vision centers, and served people in more than 40 countries. In the last two years alone, OGS has provided funding to more than 30 project partners around the world, totaling over $1.5 million in grants.

Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) announces the addition of Daniel McBride, executive vice president and chief operating officer of CooperCompanies, and Meng Meng Xu, OD, MPH, FAAO, to its board of directors.

“As we continue to grow and enhance OGS and our work to eradicate preventable blindness through the establishment of sustainable eye care around the world, we are thrilled to welcome two new board members who are so highly regarded in the industry and profession,” said Lois Schoenbrun, executive director, OGS. “Mr. McBride has shown remarkable support for our mission over the years in his roles at CooperVision and CooperCompanies. Meanwhile, the combination of Dr. Xu’s experience in clinical optometry and international public health programs will bring valuable insight to OGS and our partners.”

CooperVision is the largest donor in OGS history, with a total contribution of more than $4 million. The company is a global platinum sponsor of the organization and provides additional support through employee fundraising activities with a company match, and a consumer rebate donation program.

McBride has served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for CooperCompanies since 2013. He previously served as president of CooperVision from 2014 through 2021. His prior roles at CooperVision also include chief risk officer, general counsel, vice president, and senior counsel. Before joining CooperVision in 2005, McBride was an attorney with Latham & Watkins LLP. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Santa Clara University and a juris doctor from Stanford Law School.

Dr. Xu is an associate professor of clinical optometry and the director of eyecare services at South Boston Community Health Center. She also serves as coordinator of international programs at the New England College of Optometry, a role she has held for 10 years. Dr. Xu earned a master’s degree in public health from Harvard University and her doctorate in optometry from the University of Montreal.

Over the last 20 years, OGS funding has provided basic eye care services to more than 8 million people, assisted with training more than 14,000 eye care personnel, established more than 130 vision centers, and served people in more than 40 countries. In the last two years alone, OGS has provided funding to more than 30 project partners around the world, totaling over $1.5 million in grants.

With only a few weeks remaining, Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) has announced a $500,000 fundraising goal for its 2023 World Sight Day Challenge. Donations will fuel the organization’s efforts to help eradicate uncorrected refractive error through the growth and expansion of optometry around the world. As thousands of eye care professionals convene in New Orleans for Academy 2023 and observe World Sight Day, OGS calls upon the optometry community to help achieve this goal.

The theme of this year’s World Sight Day Challenge is “Giving Together, Seeing Forever,” which celebrates the collective power of the industry to give the gift of sight to millions of people in need. Although World Sight Day takes place on October 12, the Challenge—the organization’s largest annual fundraiser—officially continues through the end of October.

“There is still plenty of time to join the World Sight Day Challenge and contribute to meeting our goal,” said Lois Schoenbrun, Executive Director, Optometry Giving Sight. “Every dollar donated allows us to fund sustainable initiatives that provide life-changing eye care to people, families, and communities around the world. OGS is ‘optometry’s charity’—eye care professionals truly understand the impact of sight, because they witness it in their practices every day. Our work is only possible with your support.”

There are several ways to support OGS during the World Sight Day Challenge. One-time or recurring donations can be made at any time at givingsight.org/donate-wsdc. Those interested in leading fundraising at their practice or company can register at givingsight.org/wsdc to receive a toolkit with ideas and resources.

Attendees at Academy 2023 in New Orleans are encouraged to visit the OGS booth (#1623) to participate in the Beanbag Bucket Toss fundraising game. Players will try their hand at tossing beanbags into buckets at various distances to increase donations and a board member match. A minimum $10 donation is required to play the game, and a thank-you gift will be given to each participant.

1.2 billion people worldwide suffer needlessly from preventable blindness and vision impairment. With funds raised, Optometry Giving Sight provides grants to programs focused on long-term solutions, including those that establish optometry schools, vision centers, and optical labs in underserved communities around the globe.

Since 2003, OGS funding has provided basic eye care services to more than 8 million people, assisted with training more than 14,000 eye care personnel, established more than 130 vision centers, and served people in more than 40 countries. In the last two years alone, OGS has provided funding to more than 30 project partners around the world, totaling more than $1.5 million in grants.

Donate or register for our 2023 World Sight Day Challenge to give sight around the world.

Imagine a population of 11 million people—and only two optometrists.

This ratio is a reality in Haiti, a country that has faced significant, continuous hardships including political instability, a poor economy, natural disasters, the COVID pandemic, and more. Access to eye care outside of the major cities is nearly nonexistent except for services delivered during medical mission trips.

In 2017, Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) partnered with Université d’Etat d’Haiti, Université de Montréal, VOSH/International, Charity Vision, and the Brien Holden Foundation to establish the Haiti School of Optometry. The partners set out to increase the number of locally trained optometrists and to establish an Academic Vision Centre to provide hands-on optometric training and care.

Today, there are about 60 students enrolled in the five-year program, which is set to graduate its first class of optometrists if not for a few roadblocks. Due to civil unrest in Haiti, in-person clinical training is difficult to obtain for the fifth-year students. COVID restrictions made it difficult for foreign optometric educators to travel to Haiti, and unreliable internet access is prohibitive for online learning. In addition, there is uncertainty surrounding government legislation to recognize optometry as a licensed medical profession.

Despite these challenges, the Haiti School of Optometry continues to operate, and its students remain committed to receiving their education and ultimately, providing eye care in their communities. But there is still work to be done to ensure this is possible.

Optometry Giving Sight has granted financial assistance and invested resources to continue supporting the school over the last few years and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Not only has the support enabled improved internet access for online education, but OGS has also worked with VOSH/International to deliver in-person teaching clinics for the graduating class.

Thus in 2021, VOSH-Pennsylvania led an educational mission, via a project called Je ayisyen (Haitian eyes) through which students enhanced their clinical skills, gained much-needed practice with patients, and built their confidence. This first clinic was held at the New Hope Hospital in Cap-Haïtien, north of Haiti, and the experience underscored the students’ need for more supervised clinical training and access to patients to complete their optometry education.

Deteriorating safety and security in Haiti delayed the delivery of a second teaching clinic, but ultimately, OGS, VOSH/International, VOSH-Pennsylvania and partners were able to make it happen again at the new eye care clinic at the same New Hope Hospital. Eleven fifth-year students from the Haiti School of Optometry spent a week there, where they were able to refresh their knowledge and skills related to clinical procedures, equipment handling, patient forms, and work organization. The students saw a total of 289 patients—an average of 26 patients per student—and completed the necessary patient records for each.

“I arrived at Cap-Haïtien stressed because it had been a long time since I had seen a patient. But by the time we left, I realized that although there are things to improve, I am ready,” said one of the students in a post-clinic survey. “The stress I felt about obtaining my diploma has completely disappeared and I know now that I’m made to be an optometrist.”

The students’ time in the clinic also reinforced the impact optometrists can have on the lives of their patients. From helping a patient with excruciating pain relieve his eye pressure with medication to diagnosing a four-month-old baby with cataracts rather than retinoblastoma, lives were undoubtedly changed. Even the ability to prescribe glasses confirmed for the students the positive difference they can make with eye care.

“In the first clinic, I saw what the job of the optometrist is,” remarked another student. “In the second clinic, I saw what I can do as an optometrist. Thank you to each of you who contributed to the efforts and time availability to make this clinic possible.”

The Haiti School of Optometry is currently backed by an OGS-supported international consortium composed of Université de Montréal, Brien Holden Foundation and Université d’Etat d’Haiti.

To support current and future optometry students in Haiti and around the world, please donate today.