How much do you know about avoidable blindness?
Did you know that 285 million people in the world suffer from blindness and low vision, while 80 per cent of these cases can be prevented? In developing countries, being visually impaired is not just a disability but is a DEATH SENTENCE. You may be wondering why no action is being done when these cases of blindness can be prevented, but in reality there are numerous organizations in worldwide that are helping combat against blindness. Operation Eyesight Universal is one of the many organizations who are working to combat blindness.
What Operation Eyesight is all about
What is Operation Eyesight Universal, and what do they do? Those are questions which I asked when I received the invitation to attend their first youth club meeting. Operation Eyesight is a Canada-based international development organization that has been working since 1963 to eliminate avoidable blindness in developing countries. The organization invests in sustainable treatment, prevention, and community development activities to address specific eye health problems as well as the root causes of blindness. Read more about Operation Eyesight here: http://www.operationeyesight.com/
My experience at Operation Eyesight’s first youth club meeting
Like many of you, I have only become aware of this issue a few days ago during the first youth club meeting for Operation Eyesight Universal. Through the meeting I met many other youths who were just as enthusiastic about the fight against preventable blindness as I was. It was through one of the real life simulation activities that we felt just how detrimental vision impairment really is. We all put on a pair of cataracts glasses and looked around us. Before this I thought I knew what it felt like to have cataracts, but actually experiencing the effects myself was alarming. All we saw through these glasses were blurry blobs of colour. Can you imagine how difficult everyday life would be for people who suffer from cataracts? Sadly many people in the world live their everyday life struggling with the effects of cataracts and other vision impairments such as glaucoma, trachoma, etc. I though that I had it bad with a high lens prescription and wearing glasses, but who cares about these first world probs? There are people included in that 285 million population who suffer from vision impairment and need glasses for uncorrected refractive error. I am sure that this youth club session had a lasting impact, not only with me but also on all the other youth who attended.
After the impactful introduction to this global issue, we quickly got on our feet and began brainstorming ideas on how we can help make a difference. Some of us were interested in fundraising events, others were interested in starting a club at their school to help raise awareness and plan fundraising events as well. The progress we made at the end to the meeting was incredible. One of the groups even filled flip chart pages with their ideas. I guess the reason that the brainstorming session went so well was because of the many brains in the room.
How you AWESOME people can help make a difference
The hopes of Operation Eyesight in the starting of the youth club is to help raise awareness about this pressing global issue by spreading the word through youth because we hold a lot of power for change and innovation.
Another reason is because they have witnessed the amazing work that youths like all of you do within the city through Youth Central. I believe that we can really help raise awareness about this cause. It can be as simple as a small donation, or planning your own fundraiser. Even helping spread the word through social media is a great way to start. Many other youth and I are also planning on starting a club at our own schools and fundraising that way. If you are interested in helping create change and supporting this cause you can check out their website and contact them through the link: http://www.operationeyesight.com/ or http://www.operationeyesight.com/page.aspx?pid=248.
Information from:
http://www.operationeyesight.com/
Images from:
Featured image: http://www.smiletvgroup.com/portfolio/ophthalmologist-travels-world-cures-blindness-free/
http://chestertheatre.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/blindness-on-stage-and-in-life/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/operation-eyesight