North America Programs

University and High School Chapters

Unite For Sight's university chapters screen community members for eye disease, educate children and adults about eye health and blindness prevention, and encourage the medically underserved to apply for free health coverage so that they can receive complete eye exams by physicians. The screenings help to identify individuals who require an eye examination. Additionally, vision education programs are held in conjunction with vision screenings to enhance the value of vision screenings. University and high school chapters are also engaged in eliminating preventable blindness globally through eyeglass drives and fundraising efforts.

Elementary and Middle School Eye Clubs

Unite For Sight's K-12 clubs are engaged in eliminating preventable blindness globally. They collect eyeglasses that are prescribed by eye clinics in Africa and Asia. They also fundraise, and 100% of their fundraising efforts provide sight-restoring surgeries to patients living in extreme poverty in villages and refugee camps in Africa and Asia.

Advocacy

Unite For Sight’s Resolution to the American Medical Association to encourage and support vision screenings for school-age children

The American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a resolution to encourage vision screenings for schoolchildren, which was submitted by Unite For Sight. The resolution was written by Jennifer Staple, Unite For Sight's Founder, President and CEO; Mr. Samuel Baharestani, Unite For Sight's 2004-2008 board member and Member-at-Large of the Governing Council Medical Society of the State of New York; and Mr. John Frisbee.

The Unite For Sight resolution expressed concerns that one in four school-aged children has a vision problem. Unite For Sight provided testimony to uniformly support increased efforts to provide vision screening for school-aged children to detect vision problems and deficits that can affect learning. Unite For Sight has successfully used preliminary vision screenings to refer children with vision problems to an eye doctor for diagnosis, treatment, and surgery.

"Resolution 430-Encouraging Vision Screenings for Schoolchildren" asked that the AMA:

1. Encourage and support outreach efforts to provide vision screenings for school-age children prior to primary school enrollment (Directive to Take Action).
2. Support periodic pediatric eye screenings based on AAP, AAFP, and AAO evidence-based guidelines with referral to an ophthalmologist for a comprehensive professional evaluation as appropriate. (New HOD Policy)
3. Encourage the development of programs to improve school readiness by detecting undiagnosed vision problems (Directive to Take Action).

Unite For Sight's Resolution to the American Medical Association to support eye exams for all adults

In its unwavering efforts to create positive change in eye care health for all medically underserved persons, Unite For Sight submitted a resolution to the American Medical Association (AMA) to encourage outreach efforts that support eye examinations for all adults. This resolution was passed by the AMA and became new AMA policy.