Donations & Discounts Honor World Sight Day at San Antonio Optometry, The Vision Place

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 04, 2016 -- October 13 is World Sight Day, which the World Health Organization (WHO) established to focus attention on blindness, vision impairment and ways to work toward universal eye health.

San Antonio optometrist Dr. Sandra Palomino reports that 285 million people around the globe are blind or visually impaired but that 80% wouldn't be if they had access to eye care. To do something about the problem, Dr. Palomino's office -- The Vision Place at 16535 Huebner Road, Suite 104 -- will donate $20 from every eye exam performed from October 1 to 12 as part of the World Sight Day Challenge.

During this time, Dr. Palomino’s patients may enter a free raffle for discounts on frames, lenses, sunglasses and anti-reflective lens coatings.

"On October 13, we'll celebrate the importance of universal eye health by offering $29 eye exams all day for people who do not have vision insurance," Dr. Palomino announced. She adds that customers who access this service are eligible to receive free lenses with any eyeglass frames they purchase.

The WHO created World Sight Day as part of a global action plan aimed at decreasing needless visual impairment, generating data about the magnitude and causes of visual impairment, and encouraging nations to adopt eye health policies.

One example of unnecessary vision impairment is pediatric cataracts, which often can be corrected through a simple surgery. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), cataracts are a leading cause of blindness among children globally. The AAO estimates that 5% to 20% of childhood blindness worldwide is caused by cataracts.

Dr. Palomino notes that eye exams for children begin at six months old. After that, exams are necessary at 3 years of age, then in kindergarten or first grade. Of course, the time for an exam is now if a parent notices a vision problem such as their child squinting at distant objects or holding a book too close.

In addition to testing for distance and close-up vision, eye exams include observation for health problems caused by diseases or damage, fluid pressure inside the eye (glaucoma) or problems caused by age or genetics, such as cataracts.

Exams also test for eye-function difficulties in which the eyes and brain aren't quite in sync. This can lead to problems such as depth perception, eye dominance and misalignment of eyes.

"A lot can be done to correct vision impairment for adults as well as children," Dr. Palomino believes. "Regular eye exams are critical to a healthy, happy life.”

The Vision Place is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., closing an hour earlier on Fridays, and additional hours on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Exams can be scheduled by calling (210) 764-6013, further information on the practice can be obtained from their website at http://thevisionplace.net/.

The Vision Place, (210) 764-6013