175293 Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes

Tuesday, October 28, 2008: 8:48 AM

Paul Berman, OD , Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes, Hackensack, NJ
Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes has been a global vision program to improve vision and eye health care for persons with intellectual disabilities. Although the program began in 1991 with the support of the AOA Sports Vision Section, it grew and became part of the Special Olympics Healthy Athlete Program in 1997.

To date over 100,000 person with intellectual disabilities have been screened and 47,000 pairs of glasses have been distributed. This program has been conducted in over 52 countries.

The methods used and the lessons learned to obtain sponsorship, obtain equipment, train volunteers, have both optometrists and ophthalmologists involved will be discussed. The creation of a global vision care curriculum on “How To Examined Persons with Intellectual Disabilities” will also be discussed.

The creation of this standardized global vision program without borders that continues to grow and face new challenges will also be presented.

Learning Objectives:
For attendees to learn how a global vision program that provides correction for refractive error was designed and the challenges and solutions that have been learned

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am Founder and Clinical Advisor of the Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes Program
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Vision Care Without Borders..A View of International Vision Care
See more of: Vision Care Section