Goal 3 – Providing “Vision for All” Through Research, Rehabilitation and Reaching Out to Vulnerable Populations

Vision Rehabilitation and Education of the Blind

Only one in 10 persons who are blind have access to even the most basic rehabilitation services or education. The others are offered no chance for intellectual or social development and often live forgotten lives in abject poverty. As many as five million children may be destined for this fate. Even in areas where services are generally adequate, many of visually impaired persons – many of them elderly – do not receive rehabilitation or adaptive services because of their poverty.

Funding from CSFII will at least double the number of blind children who receive appropriate education and will provide access to rehabilitation and adaptive services to thousands of people in developed countries.

The SightFirst Action Plan:

• Organize 400 education programs for thousands of families with blind children.
• Increase the number of teachers of the blind by expanding 20 regional education centers at universities in developing countries. Equip the centers to produce Braille and large print education materials to be used by tens of thousands of children.
• Fund the creation or expansion of Lions-affiliated rehabilitation and job training programs and low vision/adaptive device distribution centers in underserved areas of developed nations.

Expansion of Lions Vision Research Initiatives

While millions are spent annually on vision research, if often focuses on areas of commercial interest and may cause other important research to be overlooked. They are not overlooked at Lions Eye Research Centers. These centers, supported by local Lions groups throughout the world, are pushing ahead into promising new areas of research, but could do even more to bridge the gap between what is commercially attractive and what must be done to provide vision for all.

International support from LCIF can help coordinate and accelerate their work, helping to put Lions in the forefront of this vital area of sight preservation and restoration, just as they are in hands-on intervention, screening and service.

The SightFirst Action Plan:

• Support of specific research initiatives at Lions’ Eye Centers by matching funds raised to support the centers up to US$200,000 each year.
• Provide high-profile annual “genius” grants to exceptionally promising researchers.
• Enable Lions Eye Research Centers to collaborate closely and form a worldwide network.

Reaching out to Vulnerable Populations

Even in areas where eye care is generally adequate, portions of the population remain underserved. These groups consist disproportionately of women, children and the elderly. Despite many successful Lions’ sight programs that provide eye care to the needy, the promise of “A Vision for All” remains unfulfilled.

The SightFirst Action Plan:

• Double the number of at-risk people being served by Lions’ charitable eye-care services by increasing service opportunities for Lions Clubs and individual Lions.
• Provide US$6 million to extend the Opening Eyes Program (in collaboration with Special Olympics) through 2012 enabling the program to provide vision care to 100,000 people with mental disabilities per year.
• Support Lions’ mobile eye units in developed countries to expand their services to in inner cities and among the working poor. Provide block grant funding to expand Lions’ programs providing eye care services for the poor.

Goal 1 | Goal 2 | Goal 3