Lions World Sight Day Aims to Educate Millions Worldwide

The World Health Organization has estimated that the number of blind people in the world could double in the next 25 years. To combat the leading causes of blindness and assist in preserving vision, the Lions Club of Grand Cayman is participating in Lions World Sight Day on Thursday, 10^th October to heighten awareness and education about sight preservation and preventable blindness.

The Lions Club of Grand Cayman will be joining in this global event by continuing their annual sight screening at First Baptist School on 10^th October 9am.  It was during one such screening that our own Lion Alee Fa-amoe gives credit for saving his sight.  (See testimonial of Lion Alee – to published in conjunction with this article)

“It is estimated that 40 million people around the world are blind,” said Lion Winston Hayle, President of the Lions Club of Grand Cayman. “On Lions World Sight Day, the Grand Cayman Lions are working in unison with Lions clubs around the world to educate millions of people on the importance of proper eye health care.”

In the United States, approximately 750,000 people are blind and an additional 50,000 more will become blind each year, according to the National Federation of the Blind. Like most developed countries, glaucoma and diabetes are the leading causes of blindness in the United States.

On a worldwide scale, an estimated 75 percent of all blindness is found in Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization. In Africa, there are an estimated 500,000 new cases of cataracts each year, of which only one in ten is operated upon. In India, 80 percent of the blind suffer from cataracts, with more than 3.8 million new cases reported each year.

Since the club’s chartering in 1972 its members have worked on a variety of projects in the local community, such as sponsorship of the first cornea transplant within the Cayman Islands which was performed overseas, building of the Lions Eye Clinic which is a vital part of the Health Services Authority and providing assistance to many for their vision care. Proceeds from past fundraising events have gone to purchase and upgrade equipment for the Lions Eye Clinic and the purchase of two Pedia Vision Spot VS 100 machines which are being used with their Sight Screening Project.  The club is currently preparing for their Annual Spelling Secondary School Bee.

The Lions Club of Grand Cayman has 102 members and meets on the 1^st and Thursday of each month at 7:30pm at The Lions’ Den located in the Lions Community Centre, Crewe Road, George Town. Lions clubs are a group of men and women who identify needs within the community and work together to fulfill those needs. For more information or to get involved with the Lions Club of Grand Cayman, please contact Lion Winston Hayle at 345 939 8813 and/or [email protected].

Lions World Sight Day is a global vision initiative sponsored by Lions Clubs International and Lions Clubs International Foundation. The event is held annually on the second Thursday of October in an effort to raise awareness about sight-related issues. Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.3 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world. For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit the Web site at www.lionsclubs.org

Testimonial of Lion Alee

Alee Fa’amoe

Box 30018, 11 Cypress Pointe George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1201

7 October 2013

Deborah Ebanks

Past President

Lions Club of Grand Cayman

Dear Deborah Ebanks:

It happened 32 years ago. I came back to school from a great summer vacation and I suddenly I couldn’t read my History teacher’s handwriting on the chalkboard.

Her handwriting had clearly deteriorated over the summer break. And the same for my math teacher. And my social studies teacher. And even my homeroom teacher!

My buddies were annoyed at me constantly asking to copy their notes, and I didn’t quite understand at first why they could see clearly and I couldn’t.

We didn’t have an eye specialist in Cayman Brac, but the Lions Club arranged to have a doctor come up for free screening. I remember having my eyes tested in a darkened hotel room at the old Buccaneers Inn. My initial prescription was 20/400; I was almost blind beyond a few inches!

I returned to school with the thickest glasses anyone had ever seen. But now I could sit at the back of the class and clearly see the chalkboard. Thanks to the Lions Club of Grand Cayman.

The Lions Sight Programme changed my life. So, 20 years later, I became a Lion. Now if only we could do something about those teachers’ horrible handwriting… Sincerely,

Alee Fa’amoe