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Upcoming Events ABV Social Cocktail for a Cause Purchase a Sangria at ABV Social from January – March and $1 from each purchased will benefit Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. Swing for Sight Golf Outing Monday, June 1, 2020 Ozaukee Country Club Sponsorship opportunities are available! Upcoming Trainings View the Children’s Vision Screener Training Schedule February Newsletter Articles Vision Screeners in Watertown Start 2020 Strong! ABV Social Cocktail for a Cause New Volunteer Opportunities in your Community Keep Head Start Vision Health Programs Strong Keep Your Vision 20/20 for the Decade Ahead February is AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month About Us Founded in 1958, Prevent Blindness Wisconsin improves the lives of children, adults, and families through early detection of eye conditions to prevent blindness and preserve sight. On-going vision screening activities and state-wide public health education lead to a lifetime of healthy vision. wisconsin.preventblindness.org
Support Prevent Blindness Wisconsin Support Prevent Blindness Wisconsin throughout the year by holding an event in our honor at your work, school or church. Some ideas include: – Jeans Day – Dedicate your birthday – Bake sale – Designate your United Way contribution by using code 53904 Please contact Bridget at [email protected] for PBW marketing materials. |
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Klow was vision screened by our dedicated partners at the Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health (MCHH) last spring through the NACDD Adult Vision Health Program. After not passing her vision screening, Klow was referred to the eye doctor for a full eye exam. With the diligence of the MCHH staff and Prevent Blindness Wisconsin, Klow received an eye exam through the VSP Mobile Eyes Voucher Program. After her eye exam, Klow was diagnosed with astigmatism and presbyopia and was prescribed glasses. Klow says, “Thank you so much for your help. The voucher helped me so much with the care I needed. I can see better and I am now starting to understand my vision!” Vision Screeners in Watertown Start 2020 Strong! Staff members of Watertown School District and members of the Watertown Lions Club became certified Children’s Vision Screener’s last month. During the training, participants learned the evidence-based vision screening protocol, how to conduct effective follow-up, and how to access community vision health resources. “A strong vision screening program helps ensure our students are ready to learn in the classroom,” remarked one of the participants. Register for an upcoming training or contact Shelby at [email protected] to schedule a training at your district.
Save the date for Prevent Blindness Wisconsin’s 25th Annual Swing for Sight Golf Outing on Monday, June 1, 2020, at the Ozaukee Country Club. Start your day early with open golf or work on the putting green. The afternoon consists of an 18-hole scramble followed by a full course dinner, awards, raffle, live auction, and special iron raffle! Space is limited to 32 foursomes. Reserve yours today by contacting Bridget at [email protected]. Sponsorship opportunities are available! Please contact Rebecca at [email protected] for more information.
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ABV Social Cocktail for a Cause Stop by ABV Social in the Mayfair Collection to try our Cocktail for a Cause! From January through March, Prevent Blindness Wisconsin will receive $1 from each Sangria purchased. Help provide healthy vision for a lifetime by stopping by today! Share our Facebook event! |
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New Volunteer Opportunities In Your Community Prevent Blindness Wisconsin is currently looking for volunteers in the Fox Cities, Dane County, Greater Milwaukee, Lake Country and Union Grove. If you are interested in becoming a certified vision screener in your community or are a current volunteer looking to refresh your sight-saving skills, please sign up for a training this month. Contact Breanna at [email protected] to find out more.
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Sign up for one of our upcoming Children’s Vision Screener Trainings. If you have questions, or if you would like to schedule a training, please contact Shelby at [email protected].
Keep Head Start Vision Health Programs Strong Ensuring that Head Start and Early Head Start children have healthy vision is important for school readiness. Does your vision screening program need support? Our Head Start Vision Screening Toolkit includes resources on vision screening, vision health, and helping families access vision care. For resources and support at Head Start community resource events, contact Shelby at [email protected].
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Keep Your Vision 20/20 for the Decade Ahead: Get a Dilated Eye Exam We’ve all heard it before— “My vision is fine.” “I don’t see any differently.” “Things are blurry when I wake up, but then go back to normal.” While the physical characteristics of your eyes may seem unchanging, the only way to monitor the full health of your eyes is through regular, dilated eye exams. Dilated eye exams are very similar to regular oil changes. Regular oil changes help vehicles run smoothly and aid in the overall lifespan of the vehicle. Similarly, dilated eye exams are a preventative approach to monitor the entire health of the eye as people grow and age. Many eye diseases and complications can only be diagnosed through a dilated eye exam. It is highly recommended to ask your eye doctor to dilate your eyes during the exam. Dilation ensures the entire back of the eye (retina) is seen and examined.
How often should adults receive dilated eye exams? Adults younger than the age of 60 with no present vision health risk factors should receive a dilated eye exam every 2-4 years. Adults 60 years and older should receive a dilated eye exam every year. Adults living with an eye disease (diabetes-related retinopathy, AMD) should receive a dilated eye exam every year or as recommended by their eye doctor.
Don’t wait to get a dilated eye exam; your vision isn’t waiting for you. Not sure where to start regarding an eye exam appointment? Need help navigating vision care options? Check out our new Adult Vision Health Follow-Up Resources below to help you make your dilated eye exam: – How to Make an Eye Doctor Appointment Flowchart – How to Make an Eye Doctor Appointment with Medicaid – County Eye Care Provider Guides For more information, please contact Courtney at [email protected]. |
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Prevent Blindness Wisconsin makes the world a brighter place for children and adults across Wisconsin through our sight-saving vision health services. You can give the gift of healthy vision by joining the 20/20 Monthly Giving Challenge. Celebrate the year 2020 – the year of healthy vision – by becoming a monthly donor to help Prevent Blindness Wisconsin achieve its vision for each Wisconsin resident to have healthy vision at every stage of life! An investment of: $5 per month trains one volunteer to provide Certified Vision Screenings $10 per month provides one voucher for glasses for an uninsured child $20 per month provides one vision screening toolkit enabling hundreds of local screenings Will you accept our challenge to make a monthly gift and help Prevent Blindness Wisconsin increase our impact in 2020?
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Grants Galore!
Prevent Blindness Wisconsin is proud and honored to announce it has been awarded two grants to support our sight-saving services. Thank you Clare M. Peters Charitable Trust for supporting the Children’s Vision Screening Program in Milwaukee County and ensuring approximately 30,000 children have access to sight-saving vision screenings. Thank you Hilliard Family Foundation, Inc., a fund of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, for supporting the Head Start Vision Health Program in Green Bay. This program ensures hundreds of at-risk children receive certified vision screenings, vision health education, follow-up support, and are placed on the path to healthy vision for a lifetime. Prevent Blindness Wisconsin’s sight-saving programs would not be possible without the generous support of local funders. Thank you again for helping make healthy vision possible for children across Wisconsin. February is AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month It is said age is just a number, but is that also true for your eyes? February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month. AMD is an eye disease that distorts central vision and affects the macula of the eye. The macula is responsible for picking up fine details in our sight. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss for people 50 years or older.
AMD is increasing among the aging population and shows little warning signs until vision is permanently lost. Possible signs of AMD include a dark, empty spot in your central vision or straight lines appearing wavy or distorted. Individuals with AMD may also experience difficulty identifying colors. AMD Risk Factors It’s all in the Genes Family History: AMD is highly linked to family history of the disease. The population most ‘at-risk’ for AMD are Caucasian women 50 years or older with lighter colored iris’s (blue or green). Studies have shown people of European descent are more likely to have AMD due to the lack of melanin levels in their bodies.
Dilated Eye Exams! Amsler Grids Testing your vision with an Amsler grid checks for signs or progression of AMD. Using an Amsler grid does not replace a dilated eye exam. You should receive regular, dilated eye exams as recommended by your eye doctor. If you notice any distortions in the Amsler grid, make an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as you can.
Bausch + Lomb and Prevent Blindness Throughout Febraruy, Bausch + Lomb and Prevent Blindness are partnering once again to spread the word about eye health and AMD. Keep an eye out for social media posts from Bausch + Lomb and “like” or “share” the post and Bausch + Lomb will donate $1 to Prevent Blindness and its sight-saving fund. Follow the hashtag #SightMatters and visit sightmatters.com/amd-awareness to join the conversation.
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Program Intern Prevent Blindness Wisconsin is looking for an intern to help our team with the many programs in our office. If you have an interest in gaining professional experience in a health-oriented nonprofit agency or you just want to work in a fun work environment and gain some valuable skills, then this is the internship for you! To learn more about how to apply and to read the full job description click here.
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Your support allows us to carry out our vision for each Wisconsin resident to have healthy vision at every stage of life. Thank you!
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FY-Eye: February 2020
