Lighthouse Guild Announces Week-Long Series of Events to Address Avoidable Blindness

NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lighthouse Guild, the leading not-for-profit vision + healthcare organization, today joined the call to action against avoidable blindness by announcing a week-long series of events in support of the VISION 2020 Global Initiative.

"As we approach World Sight Day on October 9, it's important to raise awareness not only of the resources available to help people preserve as much vision, function and independence as possible, but also of the many ways we can prevent blindness and visual impairment altogether," said Dr. Alan R. Morse, President and CEO of Lighthouse Guild.  

"In addition to offering a continuum of programs and services designed especially for people who are blind or visually impaired, we are committed to improving lives by expanding access to the most effective services. We are doing this through education, awareness, and solutions-based advocacy, providing training that integrates the latest advances into our vision + healthcare solutions, and recognizing groundbreaking research," Dr. Morse added.

Underscoring Lighthouse Guild's mission to help people who are blind or are at risk of visual impairment, the organization has planned a week-long series of events to showcase its multi-pronged approach to eradicating avoidable blindness:

Community Education on Diabetes
Lighthouse Guild is partnering with New York City Councilman James Vacca and Comptroller Scott Stringer to host a diabetes and vision loss prevention community education event at the North East Bronx Senior Center on Tuesday, October 7.  Additionally, Lighthouse Guild will host an educational program at the Ravenswood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community in Long Island City on Friday, October 10.  Diabetes can affect every aspect of an individual's health, and these community-based education programs help individuals and their families learn about the many resources available to reduce associated complications, avoid unnecessary vision loss, and improve quality of life.

Expert Vision Training
Lighthouse Guild will lead a specialized vision training program for future Occupational Therapists on Wednesday, October 8 to ensure they have to knowledge and tools necessary to screen for and treat patients with vision impairment.

Advocacy among Policymakers
Lighthouse Guild will co-sponsor the World Sight Day 2014 Congressional Briefing in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, October 9, and challenge policymakers to address the economic and societal impact of diabetic retinopathy.

Recognizing Groundbreaking Research
Lighthouse Guild will host the 2014 Alfred W. Bressler Vision Science Symposium in New York on Saturday, October 11, bringing together some of the most prominent leaders in the vision science field to share research and discuss ways to reduce the burden of global blindness.

Lighthouse Guild's innovative and comprehensive approach to vision + healthcare seeks to prevent new cases of vision impairment and blindness, while helping people of all ages living with vision loss to achieve and maintain the highest possible levels of functioning and independence.  Lighthouse Guild's programs are comprehensive, multidisciplinary and person-centered, and include medical services, behavioral health care, vision rehabilitation, GuildNet health plans, adult day care programs, and specialized schools for students aged 3 to 21.

The organization's 850-person staff is dedicated to serving people across New York State and throughout the U.S. and the world. For more information on Lighthouse Guild's programs and services, please visit www.lighthouseguild.org.  

About Lighthouse Guild
Lighthouse Guild is the leading not-for-profit vision + healthcare organization with a long history of addressing the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities or chronic medical conditions.  By integrating vision + healthcare services and expanding access through education and awareness, we help people lead productive, dignified and fulfilling lives. With more than 200 years of combined experience and service, Lighthouse Guild brings a level of understanding to vision care that is unmatched.  For more information, visit lighthouseguild.org.

SOURCE Lighthouse Guild