Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) has invited practices involved in the donation box program to invigorate patient engagement with a new “Brick and Poster” tool.
The poster invites patients and members of the public to donate the equivalent of a brick for a new vision centre in a developing country.
According to OGS, one vision centre can see up to 3,000 patients a year in a developing country. Ten vision centres, over the course of ten years, will give access to vision care for 300,000 people where services have never before existed.
Optometry Giving Sight funds the solution to global uncorrected refractive error by supporting programs that deliver vision care, train local eye care professionals and develop infrastructure.
…patients are very interested to hear that even a small donation can help someone in an underserved community to access eye care
Much of this infrastructure development is in the area of supporting the building of vision centres.
“Patients visiting your practice understand the importance of vision care and being able to see clearly, and many are enthusiastic about an opportunity to help provide this same service to someone in the developing world,” said Ron Baroni, country manager of Optometry Giving Sight Australia.
Sue Strachan, from Strachan Eye Care Plus, has a ‘Brick and Poster’ in both of her practices, and said it is a fun, engaging tool that patients of all ages can take part in.
“We find that most patients are very interested to hear that even a small donation can help someone in an underserved community to access eye care,” said Ms. Strachan.
“This is a great way to engage your patients to make a small donation of between AUD$2 and AUD$5, and add a ‘brick’, to help visually build a vision centre. With the support of your staff, it is a great way to highlight that your practice supports Optometry Giving Sight, and encourage patients to do the same.”
More than 600 million people are currently living as blind or vision impaired, simply because they cannot access an eye exam and glasses.
Current donation box holders are being sent a kit with more information.
To receive a donation box in your practice, contact australia@givingsight.org today.
