2020:
Make this The Year of Vision!


Webinar Tuesday, October 20, 2020
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. ET


Small Steps for Big Vision: An Eye Health Information Tool Kit for Parents and Caregivers is a new, free online resource with information, suggested actions, and assistance for parents, guardians, and caregivers of young children. The tool kit empowers caring adults around the child to be partners in their child’s (as well as their own) vision and eye health, and aims to overcome any knowledge barriers to a child receiving eye care.

In this national webinar, listeners will learn about the free resources in the Small Steps for Big Vision tool kit and hear from Head Start staff who successfully used the scripted PowerPoint presentation, activities, and handouts with their parents, guardians, and caregivers. There will also be the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers to those questions.

This toolkit is for everyone! Please join us, and share this opportunity with your colleagues, friends and patients. Questions? Contact the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness at 800-331-2020 or email info@preventblindness.org. Register here.
OCTOBER IS CONTACT LENS SAFETY MONTH
Because an estimated 45 million people in the United States wear contact lenses, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Prevent Blindness has declared October as Contact Lens Safety Month.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, there are a number of causes of a contact lens-related infection. These may include:
  • using extended-wear lenses
  • sleeping in your contact lenses
  • having microbes build up under the lens
  • herpes virus
  • bacteria, fungi, or parasites
  • not keeping lenses or cases clean, or reusing or topping off contact lens solution
“Contact lenses can be a good alternative to eyeglasses for many people,” says Jeff Todd, President and CEO of Prevent Blindness.  “It’s important to follow the advice of an eye care professional to avoid painful and potentially blinding eye infections from improper or unsafe practices.”

In regards to whether contact lens disinfecting solution is effective against COVID-19, the @CDC states: 

Hydrogen peroxide-based systems for cleaning, disinfecting, and storing contact lenses should be effective against the virus that causes COVID-19.

For other disinfection methods, such as multipurpose solution and ultrasonic cleaners, there is currently not enough scientific evidence to determine efficacy against the virus.

Always use solution to disinfect your contact lenses and case to kill germs that may be present. Be sure to handle your lenses over a surface that has been cleaned and disinfected.

Click here for more information.

Lastly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that there is no evidence to suggest contact lens wearers are more at risk for acquiring COVID-19 than eyeglass wearers.
WORLD SIGHT DAY
World Sight Day, this year on October 8th, is an annual day of awareness to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment.

This year, the ‘Call to Action‘ for World Sight Day is Hope in Sight. The recent World Health Assembly resolution for eye health marks the next major milestone for global eye health. With political commitment to take action to make eye care an integral part of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and to implement ‘integrated people-centered eye care’ there is #HopeInSight.
IN HONOR of World Sight Day, Children's Vision Massachusetts will begin a social media campaign: "Don't Wait."

CVMA's intent is to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of potential vision problems in children, including young children. If frequently observed, these signs can indicate the need for further examination by an eye doctor.

Too often early signs of a vision problem are misinterpreted by adults as social, behavioral or even personality traits of the child, and the vision problem remains undetected. As vision screenings in schools and preschools may temporarily be on hold this school year, it is even more important that adults understand these early signs.

Look out for, and share, our "Don't Wait" posts on CVMA social media sites beginning October 8th! And above all, take action if you frequently observe any of the signs in children under your care.
Want to be a part of our effort? Join our Facebook Children's Vision MA Advocacy Group
To support the work of Children's Vision Massachusetts, please consider making a DONATION