To support its mission to eradicate uncorrected refractive error through the growth and expansion of optometry around the world, Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) has issued its 2023 World Sight Day Challenge.

The theme of this year’s Challenge is “Giving Together, Seeing Forever,” which celebrates the collective power of the optometry community to give the gift of sight to millions of people in need.

“The projects we support are almost entirely funded by eye care professionals, optometry practices, and companies within this industry,” said Lois Schoenbrun, Executive Director, Optometry Giving Sight. “Dollars donated help deliver access to eye care for mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and more. We can only help these families with the help of your families—whether that is the ‘family’ at home, in your optometry practice with staff and patients, or at your company.”

Optometry Giving Sight’s World Sight Day Challenge runs from now through the end of October, with World Sight Day to be celebrated on October 12. Those interested in taking on the Challenge by leading fundraising efforts at their practice or company can visit givingsight.org/wsdc to register and receive a toolkit with ideas and resources. Others may choose to make one-time or recurring donations at givingsight.org/donate-wsdc.

“In some of the most underserved areas of the world, the most basic eye care keeps kids in school and people at work, enabling them to provide for their families and even bring communities out of poverty,” said Greg Pearl, OD, of Pearl Optometry in Norwalk, Calif., who participates in the Challenge. “This cause belongs to optometry. We are the only ones who will address this, and we can do it together. If every one of us donated even one day of eye exam fees for the World Sight Day Challenge, it would change everything.”

With funds raised, Optometry Giving Sight provides grants to programs focused on long-term solutions, including those that establish optometry schools, vision centers, and optical labs in underserved communities both at home and around the globe. Individuals receive education and training to become optometrists who then provide ongoing eye care for years to come.

Over the last two decades, OGS funding has provided basic eye care services to more than 8 million people, assisted with training more than 14,000 eye care personnel, established more than 130 vision centers, and served people in more than 40 countries. In the last two years alone, OGS has provided funding to more than 30 project partners around the world, totaling more than $1.5 million in grants. For more information, visit givingsight.org.

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OGI Eyewear has officially released its best-in-industry virtual try-on app to the optical community. Full catalogs from OGI, Seraphin, Red Rose by OGI, Seraphin Shimmer, and SCOJO New York are now available to optical professionals and their patients for the entire fitting experience. This immersive tool is OGI Eyewear’s way of investing in the independent optical community that continues to support our creative endeavors.

“This app is the culmination of years of effort by dozens of people to achieve our goal of bringing a best-in-class, useful tool to the optician,” Rob Rich, CEO of The Optical Foundry, OGI Eyewear’s parent company, shared of this long-awaited app. “Unlike so many other VTO solutions, this is no toy. This is a tool that augments any dispensary with easy, accurate access to literally thousands of options to help promote sales to their customer base. When shared with an end user, it can help expedite the frame selection process. Expand your inventory, curtail wasteful patient approval processes, and increase your overall productivity. We have invested in tools like this to be that trusted partner. And best of all, it’s free. “

Your Board Just Got a Lot Bigger

Users have access to hundreds of frame styles and colour options from their phones. The OGI App allows for a true 360-degree try-on experience: turn any angle, catalog the frame fit, and capture ambient light. The user can take and send screenshots to friends and select their favorite styles before even stepping foot in an Optician’s office. Opticians can efficiently manage their inventory and keep tabs on the newest releases on the go.

Seeing is Believing

Our virtual try-on experience allows you to create a truly unique fitting process for your patients. The passion and talent of independent optical practitioners will shine through even more brightly with this amazing styling tool.

“Virtual try-on apps can be an excellent PR and marketing tool for independent optical practices,” OGI Eyewear Marketing Director Katja Beier shares. “Our app offers a convenient, personalized and seamless shopping experience and engagement. By leveraging the power of technology, you can elevate your PR and marketing efforts, attract new customers, and foster loyalty among existing ones.”

Easy as Pie

The OGI Eyewear app is compatible with the Safari browser and any iPhone (10 or above) or iPad Pro with Facial Recognition. 

Check it out: https://ogi.theopticalfoundry.com/

To Install the App from this URL on an iPad or smartphone:

1. Navigate to the URL in your Safari browser
2. Click “Share” (the paperclip icon)
3. Select “Add to Home Screen”
4. Click “Add”

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August marks Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, and as good vision is significantly important for a child’s growth and well-being, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) wants to raise awareness about the importance of eye exams and highlight the work that’s being done by the Indigenous Children Eye Examination (ICEE) project.

To date, ICEE has helped provide eye care to over 6,000 Indigenous children in the towns of Moosonee, Moose Cree First Nation, Attawapiskat First Nation, Fort Albany First Nation, Kashechewan First Nation, Weenusk First Nation and, most recently, Île-à-la-Crosse across Canada.

ICEE, founded by COS member and pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Kourosh Sabri, is developing a first-of-its-kind, self-sustaining model of eye care for Indigenous children and youth aged six months to 18 years. This model is designed to benefit Indigenous children in underserved areas of Canada and involves training local youth to assess children for eye problems.

The next trip to Attawapiskat First Nation, scheduled for September 15-17, will include a team of five ICEE members, who will be providing training to local youth and will also assess and treat children for possible eye problems.

“Eye screening for children is crucial to detect issues that may go under the radar and cause problems later on in life,” says Dr. Kourosh Sabri, Pediatric Ophthalmologist & Strabismologist and founder of ICEE. “Many children in these Indigenous communities have to travel over one hour by plane to see an eye care professional. Through the ICEE program, we discovered that over 50% of the Indigenous children in these communities have never had an eye exam before. It is critical to develop a national vision screening strategy to prevent long-lasting vision loss, especially in children. ICEE aims to become the national outreach program for delivering eye care to Indigenous children living in the remote and under-served parts of Canada.”

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