As part of their ongoing support of Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Foundation Opening Eyes, CooperVision, Optometry Giving Sight and other partners helped to provide almost 2,000 vision screenings for Special Olympics athletes and clinical training for 79 eyecare professionals and students at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando. Opening Eyes is one of seven Special Olympics Healthy Athletes screenings that was offered at the USA Games. The screenings offer athletes free vision and eye health screenings on-site and, if necessary, prescription eyewear and sports goggles to improve the vision of the athletes on the playing field and beyond, according to a recent announcement.
In addition, all ECPs and optometry students who screened athletes at the USA Games received a clinical training to better understand how to meet the unique needs of people with intellectual disabilities—not only at the USA Games, but back home at their optometry practices.
“Our participation at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games was a truly meaningful way to see this partnership come to life. It is a privilege to provide vision care services that have the potential to make a marked impact on the lives of these athletes,” said Michele Andrews, OD, vice president, professional and government affairs, CooperVision. “We look forward to further collaboration with Optometry Giving Sight and the Special Olympics Opening Eyes program to conduct more screenings and help raise awareness about the importance of inclusive vision care.”
