Worldwide, Lions
clubs are recognized for their service to the
blind and visually impaired. This service began
when Helen Keller challenged Lions to become
"knights of the blind in the crusade against
darkness" during the 1925 Lions Clubs
International Convention.
Today, Lions extend their commitment to sight
conservation through countless local efforts, as
well as through their international SightFirst
Program and Lions World Sight Day, a global
partnership of United Nations agencies, eye care
and philanthropic organizations and health
professionals, held the second Thursday of each
October to increase awareness of the need to
eradicate blindness. Lions also collect and
recycle eyeglasses for distribution in
developing countries year-round and especially
during May, which is Lions Recycle for Sight
Month.
In addition, Lions make a strong commitment
to young people through youth outreach programs.
Lions also work to improve the environment,
build homes for the disabled, support diabetes
education, conduct hearing programs and, through
their foundation, provide disaster relief around
the world.
Based on a recent report of Lions clubs
worldwide, it is estimated that each Lions
clubs donates US$9,900 to charitable causes,
totaling US$449 million. Each year
Lions club members
volunteer approximately 76 million hours,
which is equivalent to 36,500 people working
full time for a year.
Sight Programs
In 1990, Lions
established SightFirst, raising US$143 million
to fight the major causes of preventable and
reversible blindness. The unprecedented program
joins Lions volunteers with blindness prevention
experts and organizations and governments.
SightFirst has:
- provided more than 7.1 million cataract
surgeries
- built or expanded 213 eye hospitals
- supported more than 80 million treatments to
prevent river blindness
- improved eye care in 90 countries around the
world.
In 2005, Lions launched Campaign SightFirst
II with a goal of raising at least US$150
million to continue and expand the extraordinary
work of SightFirst.
Lions clubs support other sight-related
activities. Lions clubs and members:
- provide 600,000 free professional glaucoma
screenings and make 25,000 corneal transplants
possible each year
- establish and support a majority of the
world's eye banks, hundreds of clinics,
hospitals and eye research centers worldwide
- collect more than 30 million pairs of
used eyeglasses annually for free distribution
to those in need in developing countries
- offer screenings, eyeglasses and sports
goggles to athletes through the Special
Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes
Program
- provide free quality eye care, eyeglasses,
Braille-writers, large print texts, white canes
and guide dogs for thousands of people each
year.
