Benefit Concerts Gets Sight Savers Award

"Songs for Sight, a series of benefit concerts supporting the University of Alabama at Birmingham Center for Low Vision Rehabilitation, has been awarded the inaugural Hall Thompson Hero for Sight Award by Sight Savers America," according to UAB News. "The award is in honor of Hall W. Thompson, whose legacy of work played an integral role in the expansion of Sight Savers America’s eye-care program, which provides comprehensive vision care for more than 40,000 children each year. Thompson’s belief that every child in Alabama should have an equal opportunity for good vision led him to join the Sight Savers America Board of Trustees and help make that belief a reality. Songs for Sight embodies the ideals of the Hero for Sight Award by helping children and teens with low vision in a variety of ways. In addition to youth support-group activities, the funds raised by Songs for Sight help the Center for Low Vision Rehabilitation provide eligible patients electronic video-magnification devices, orientation and mobility services and bioptic driving devices." Read more.

Helping Kids with Low Vision

Optelec, Spectrios Institute, and Sight Savers America donated assistive technology to help children see things they never dreamed possible. These children, ages 7-16, have severe vision impairments such as Aniridia, Rod-Cone Dystrophy, Nystagmus, Ocular Albinism and other conditions contributing to vision loss. Most of the children can be helped and their vision greatly effected by placing highly specialized vision aids in their homes. This equipment is costly and is not covered by insurance. That’s where the coalition steps in. Read more.