Lions L.E.A.D. Weekend 2014 content; Learn more about Saving Sight's community vision programs.

1. Community Vision Programs

2. Healthy Vision Screening
 Free vision screenings to adults throughout MO to help
identify early signs of glaucoma and age-related macular
degeneration
 Purpose of Healthy Vision Screening program is to:
 Aid in early detection of vision conditions that affect older adult
populations in Missouri
 Assist in educating the general public about ocular health
 Encourage Missourians of all ages to make regular visits to an eye
care professional as a preventative eye health measure

3. What is Glaucoma?
 Caused by increase of pressure within the eye
 Results in gradual loss of peripheral vision that
cannot be regained
 According to the National Eye Institute, risk
factors for glaucoma include:
 Age: people 60+
 People with family history of glaucoma
 African Americans aged 40+
 Hispanics over 60
 People with diabetes or high blood pressure
 Eye injury

4. Screening for Glaucoma
 A trained technician uses a non-contact
tonometer to emit a puff of air at the eye,
measuring eye pressure.
 Screening results of 22 or higher are
considered to be elevated pressure.
 People showing borderline or elevated
pressure from a screening are encouraged to
visit an eye care professional for a full exam.

5. What is AMD?
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Damage to the macula, or small spot near the center
of the retina that causes loss of sharp vision
 According to the National Eye Institute, "the disease
is most likely to occur after age 60, but it can occur
earlier.“
 Risk factors:
 Age: people 60+
 Caucasians
 Family history
 Smoking (doubles risk)

6. Screening for AMD
 A simple screening technique called the
Amsler Test is offered by Saving Sight along
with glaucoma screenings
 Individual is instructed to look at a grid, cover
one eye and focus on the central spot with the
other eye. If the surrounding pattern is wavy
or has broken and distorted lines it could be an
early sign of AMD.
People who see wavy or distorted lines are
encouraged to see an eye doctor for full
examination.

7. Requesting a Healthy Vision Screening
 Consider the audience and event attendees:
 Are they generally age 60+?
 Is this a group that might not normally visit an
eye care professional?
 Contact your local vision screening technician
to set up the screening--generally at least one
month in advance
 Consider opportunities to provide KidSight
screenings and Healthy Vision screenings
together at large community events with
diverse crowds

8. Eyeglass Recycling
 Each year Saving Sight receives
thousands of eyeglasses from Lions
Clubs and from others in our
communities
 Those eyeglasses are sorted into like
groups and then matched up with
needs of groups that are going
overseas on humanitarian missions
People in developing countries with
untreated vision problems gain life-
changing access to prescription glasses.

9. Eyeglass Recycling FAQs
 Can recycled eyeglasses be given out in the US to indigent patients?
 Generally, no. Eyeglasses, even recycled ones, are given under prescription.
 Do you have a need for eyeglass cases?
 Generally, no. Eyeglass mission groups are typically not delivering recycled cases with the glasses.
 Do you have a need for loose lenses and frames without lenses?
 Again, the need for loose lenses is not great among mission groups; therefore we ask that you discard
them. However, we are occasionally able to use frames without lenses, so please include them.
 What do you do with metal eyeglasses?
 Often, mission groups prefer to take plastic frames rather than metal, as they are lighter and easier to
ship. Saving Sight works with an agency to melt down metal frames and profit is reinvested into the
eyeglass recycling program.

10. Procedures for Recycling
 Remove all eyeglasses from their cases and
discard cases
 Discard isolated glass or plastic lenses (in other
words, lenses without frames)
 Sort glasses into 4 classes:
 Unbroken children’s glasses
 Unbroken readers
 Unbroken sunglasses
 All other glasses and frames, both broken and unbroken including
metal
 Divide glasses into separate boxes or in separate
bags within one box.
 Glasses can be dropped off at our branch
locations

11. Distributing Eyeglasses Abroad
Humanitarian organizations
distribute the glasses on mission
trips abroad.
Lions and other contacts can
refer these groups to Saving Sight
to get glasses.
Call 800-753-2265 to request
glasses for a trip.

12. Questions?