More Americans than ever are facing the threat of blindness
from age-related eye disease. More than one million
Americans aged 40 and older are currently blind and an
additional 2.4 million are visually impaired. These
numbers are expected to double during the next 30 years as
the Baby Boomer generation ages.

With the goal of making vision a public health priority
nationally and globally, the National Eye Institute (NEI),
one of the Federal government's National Institutes of
Health, joins the Lions Clubs International, Lighthouse
International, and the International Agency for the
Prevention of Blindness to host World Sight Day with the
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington,
D.C. on October 10, 2002.

Eve Slater, M.D., assistant secretary of health, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, kicks off the
celebration at a noon (EDT) event to highlight the
Department's dedication to the goals of World Sight Day and
its commitment to improving eye health for all Americans.

"World Sight Day is an annual observance that showcases
global commitment to prevent vision loss and blindness
through early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation,"
Dr. Slater said. "Promoting vision health and care is the
motivating force for the World Sight Day partners. We
stand with our partners here, and around the globe, to
demonstrate our determination in making vision a public
health priority."

World Sight Day was launched by Lions Clubs International
in 1998 to recognize and reinforce the importance of
eradicating preventable blindness. In the five years since
its inception, World Sight Day events, including cataract
and glaucoma screenings, collection of used eye glasses for
recycling, and distribution of educational material, have
been held on six continents.

"Few Americans realize that blindness is a major and
increasing problem in the United States," said J. Frank
Moore III, chairman, Lions Clubs International Foundation.
"Although Lions Clubs International has long been committed
to eradicating preventable and reversible blindness around
the world, we are focusing increased attention on working
with our partners to prevent blindness and vision loss in
the United States."

Lions Clubs International is marking World Sight Day by
launching a major initiative to combat vision loss and
diabetic retinopathy among Hispanics and others in
California. Lions are mobilizing screening units and
healthcare professionals to screen adults and children for
diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, and general vision problems
at the Montebello Senior Center (Alex Esquivel Center) in
Montebello, Calif. This will kick off a major area-wide
diabetic retinopathy program.

Lighthouse International, a leading resource on vision
impairment and vision rehabilitation worldwide, celebrates
its eighth annual National Vision Rehabilitation Day on
October 10 in concert with World Sight Day. National
Vision Rehabilitation Day is a public awareness campaign
designed to educate Americans about the prevalence of
vision impairment and the critical importance of vision
rehabilitation services, counseling, and training that help
people overcome the challenges associated with vision loss.

"Lighthouse International is honored to participate in
World Sight Day efforts to raise awareness about vision
loss and vision rehabilitation," said Barbara Silverstone,
D.S.W., president and CEO, Lighthouse International.
"Facing and coping with vision loss can be challenging and
overwhelming. We want people to know that there are
support and training services available in their
communities to help those affected by vision loss."

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
(IAPB) is a coordinating, umbrella organization that leads
international efforts in mobilizing resources for blindness
prevention activities. IAPB works collaboratively with
more than 26 national and international organizations to
advance its mandate of combating avoidable blindness.

"Eighty percent of the world's blindness is preventable,
and that is the message we need to share on World Sight
Day," said Louis Pizzarello, M.D., M.P.H., chairman, IAPB
North American Region. "Vision loss and blindness have a
profound effect on quality of life for people worldwide.
By coming together to make vision a health priority, we are
taking action and changing lives for the better."

Coordinated and implemented through the World Sight Day
partners, this year's activities address visual impairment
from eye diseases and refractive errors, encourage regular
eye examinations for children and adults, and promote
vision rehabilitation.

World Sight Day provides an opportunity to promote healthy
vision in neighborhoods and communities with programs
adopted at the local, state, and national levels. In
keeping with its commitment to make vision a public health
priority in communities nationwide, NEI has instituted a
Healthy Vision 2010 Community Awards Program. Award
recipients will receive funding for community-based health
promotion projects designed to prevent vision loss and
blindness.

"The National Eye Institute is dedicated to promoting
visual health at the community level," said NEI director,
Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D. "Our Community Awards Program
and the model community events held during World Sight Day
help empower people at the local level to actively
participate in promoting and maintaining healthy vision."

To schedule day-of-event interviews, contact Michael
Coogan, NEI Office of Communication, at 301-496-5248 or by
email at mjc@nei.nih.gov. To find out more about World
Sight Day, the Healthy Vision 2010 Community Awards Program
or NEI, visit http://www.nei.nih.gov.

The NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
and is the Federal government's lead agency for vision
research that leads to sight-saving treatments and plays a
key role in reducing visual impairment and blindness. The
NIH is an agency of the US Department of Health and Human
Services.

World Site Day:

http://www.nei.nih.gov/news/special/sightday.htm