Join in: Combat Blindness International’s World Sight Day virtual event, October 14, 2021 from 6:30 to 9:15 pm CDT. This free, livestreamed celebration features special guests, an online silent auction, and more. Those who register will also be entered in a drawing to win a Nest Audio smart speaker. Combat Blindness International works across the world to “eliminate preventable blindness worldwide by providing sustainable, equitable solutions for sight through partnerships and innovation.” To learn more and register, check out their World Sight Day virtual event.
On October 10, 2021, Optometry Australia is hosting a virtual World Sight Day event, #Everyone Counts, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm AEDT. Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, the Zoom webinar aims to increase awareness and understanding of statistics related to vision impairment and blindness and “how this relates to current global and local sight needs.” The webinar will also highlight programs providing access to health and medical services as well as information on eye care. For more information or to register, check out this Australian World Sight Day 2021 Virtual Event.
The World Sight Day 2021 Photo Competition is “an opportunity to demonstrate your photography skills and share with the world what you see.” Sponsored by The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), this year’s competition highlights the theme #LoveYourEyes. The sponsors are seeking images that depict a wide range of what it may mean to have “healthy vision” – from children reaching their potential because of “clear vision,” to older adults participating more fully in society due to corrective surgery, to the efforts of health workers, or the “hope for a brighter, healthier future.” Photos may be submitted through October 18, 2021; winners will be announced on October 29, 2021. #LoveYourEyes is open to all. Find out more and submit your photo for the IAPB World Sight Day 2021 Photo Competition.
In honor of World Sight Day, and in recognition of October as World Blind Awareness Month, free streaming of the film Going Blind: Coming Out of the Dark About Vision Loss is offered throughout the month of October by A Closer Look, a not-for-profit health and social justice organization. The documentary conveys stories of “everyday people and the adaptations they make to live in today’s world with vision loss.” Director Joseph Lovett tells his own story as well, revealing his experiences losing vision due to glaucoma. To view the film, go to the Going Blind film website and select one of the three yellow button options to access one of three versions: Standard, Audio-Described, or Captioned.
