WORLD Sight Day is about changing lives one pair of glasses at a time and Hastings residents are invited to get onboard the global challenge to reduce the impacts of preventable blindness.
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Eyecare Plus optometrist Tony Hanks OAM and his team joined their Hastings colleagues yesterday in a worldwide promotion to raise money for eye care education, awareness and research.
This month, Hastings residents are invited to have their eyes tested, with a day of eye exam fees donated to the campaign to change the lives of people living in under-developed countries by giving them the gift of sight.
The campaign is being run by the global charity Optometry Giving Sight, launched more than a decade ago, of which Mr Hanks is a former development board chairman and long-time volunteer member.
“The World Sight Day Challenge is a very positive campaign because preventable blindness is a solvable problem,” Mr Hanks said.
“Most people are surprised to learn that just $5 can be enough to help provide an eye exam and a pair of glasses to someone living in an under-served community. Everyone can make a difference.”
There are currently more than 650 million children and adults across the globe with vision impairments simply because they do not have access to a pair of glasses.
“A pair of glasses can change someone’s life. It is an absolute tragedy that a child cannot see the blackboard at school and because of that is not able to reach their full potential in their community.”
The Eyecare Plus outlets are running guessing competitions, giving away ‘people power’ wrist bands for a donation and contributing to the cause through promotion of eye examinations.
