This World Sight Day, WCO supported IAPB’s #LoveYourEyes campaign for the second year. See how some of our member organizations celebrated World Sight Day 2022 below.
Botswana Optometrists Association (BOA)
On October 10, Thanuja Panicker represented as Chairperson of Botswana Optometrists Association (BOA) at the Pono Yame Project Launch (National Comprehensive School Eye Health Screening) and World Sight Day Commemoration, Molefe Primary School, Kopong Village. This launch represents the partnership of the Government of Botswana with PEEK Vision to deliver PONO YAME(“My Vision”), a national school eye health program. His Excellency President Mokgweetsi Masisi of the Republic of Botswana believes this launch will help give Botswana’s children the chance to see clearly, and maximize their well-being, education and productivity.
The launch was declared open by Dr. Douglas Letsholathebe, Honorable Minister of Education, Skills, and Development and graced by the presence of Her Royal Highness- The Countess of Wessex, The Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. In the presence of Her Highness, the Honorable Minister presented several schoolchildren with eyeglasses.
Additionally, Botswana Optometrists Association (BOA) in partnership with Novartis Division-Botswana organized a nation-wide health and wealth campaign for vision, cataract, glaucoma, blood sugar, and blood pressure screening at seven different locations across the Republic of Botswana. The Optometric services were rendered by 16 Optoms of Botswana Optometrists Association, between 19 October -13 November 2022.
European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO)
ECOO marked World Sight Day on 13 October with the publication of a national article setting out the role of opticians and optometrists in enabling people to look after their eyes, and an infographic aimed at the public showing how to #LoveYourEyes.
Lotus College of Optometry (LCOO)
Lotus Eye Hospital and College of Optometry (LCOO), Mumbai celebrated World Sight Day 2022 with IAPB theme #LoveYourEyes. This campaign was an absolute hit among students as well as general public.
Various initiatives were carried out by students to educate and engage public on eye care, eye donations, and Myopia. To promote the campaign, selfie booth was designed in pediatric department. Posters with eye care messages were displayed at hospital premises, campsites and vision center. Students performed live skits in local languages for general public giving out messages and slogans. Children were thrilled to receive heart shape frames with take home messages.
LCOO stands by their pledge that quality eye care will be available to all irrespective to their gender, age or economic strata. Special camps were organized for senior citizens, autorikshaw drivers, police personnel, and school children. Over 450 comprehensive eye checkups were conducted, and free spectacles were distributed.
LCOO thanks IAPB for creating a super impactful campaign #LoveYourEyes: “Whatever role we are playing either eyecare practitioner or beneficiary, the words ‘Accessible Eye Care,’ ‘Available Sight Test,’ and ‘Affordable Glasses’ will always remain with us.”
Optometry Association of the Philippines (OAP)
On October 6, the members of Optometric Association of the Philippines (OAP) Negros Occidental Chapter met up with the city officials of Silay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines to make a pledge of free vision screening to all government officials before 13 October in support to World Sight Day 2022. They also sought their support to pass a city ordinance on Free Vision Screening to All.
On October 10, a great number of government officials and dignitaries of South Cotabato attended the OAP South Cotabato Chapter’s advance celebration of World Sight Day anchored by the South Cotabato Optometric Society.
Optometry Council of India (OCI)
Last year on World Sight Day the “Myopia awareness film” was launched by Hon Minister Shri Nitin Gadkariji. This WSD, OCI edited the same film into 30-40 sec snippets and aired it across three English news channels: CNNIBN, NDTV, and TimesNow. The snippets were aired on 12, 13, and 14 October 2022 for an overall time of 5-6 min each day on these channels. The response to this has been immense to say the least as non-optometrists have complimented on the film to OCI office.
Continuing the trend, this World Sight Day, Optometry Council of India (OCI) virtually launched a film on Comprehensive Eye Examination for public awareness by Mrs. Kunda Ganatra: https://youtu.be/n2OulWEiDWg. OCI highly appreciates the presence of their guests Mrs. Megha Tata, Professor Deborah Sweeney, and Dr. Sandra Block. Though the later couldn’t be part of the live session, she sent a message linked here: https://youtu.be/OAnCZuT9KTE.
Palestinian Council of Optometry and Optics
For World Sight Day 2022, the Palestinian Council of Optometry and Optics screening team at Ibn Al Haytham Optics Palestine-Ramallah performed vision screenings for over 2000 school-aged children prior to World Sight Day on October 13.
Vision Care Association (VCA) (Lebanon)
Coinciding with the campaign launched by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and promoted by the World Council of Optometry (WCO) under the title “Love Your Eyes” on the occasion of World Sight Day, Vision Care Association in Lebanon (VCA), and in cooperation with Bar Elias Public High School, organized a free eye examination campaign in Barelias, Bekaa, Lebanon, where the association provided free eye care screening and assessment for nearly 100 students.
