MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - In Alabama there are about 1,200 children who are low-vision, and so far, Sight Savers of America says it helped about two thirds of them. One by one, they plan to aid every child in the state. Wednesday, they helped students at the Southwest Regional School for the Deaf and Blind in Mobile.
Eight-year-old Jaluan Dumas is exploring a whole new world, thanks to Sight Savers America.
His mother, Laquana Thomas, said "He's getting to do more, see more and learn more. It’s really exciting."
Thomas is looking forward to all of the possibilities this new equipment will bring.
"He’ll be able to see a lot more. With his vision, sometimes reading is hard for him. With this new TV that they're giving him, it’ll be able to expand all the numbers and letters he is supposed to be learning."
Jaluan was given a closed circuit television magnifier which enlarges objects up to 75 times. It has camera that flips around and sees distances, even outside.
Linda Long, the Communications Director at Sight Savers America said, "It’s just amazing. Everything is a new experience for them because they've never seen anything like this before. It truly opened up their lives and really levels the playing field for these kids. That’s what we're trying to do - get their needs met so they can see."
The gift of enhanced sight was given by this low vision clinic. A specialist from the University of Alabama at Birmingham evaluates kids who are visually impaired in some way. The specialist then determines exactly what vision aid is needed.
Long added, "We have hand-held magnifiers, telescopes, just a variety of different levels whatever their needs are."
The clinic offers a variety of visual enhancing equipment which magnifies at different levels. It not only enhances the child's sight, but self-esteem as well.
Long said, "It really has an incredible impact on their lives. Kids just open up, and they blossom and realize they can do things other people can do. We have so many success stories."
Jeff Haddox, President of Sight Savers America, added, "You have kids who can see very little - often can't tell the difference between their mother and father looking at their face. When they have this kind of equipment, they really can see to do things that we take for granted. It changes their lives. It allows them to be much more motivated, much more independent, and often you can see the change in their attitude."
For these students, there's now no limit to what they can do.
Sight Savers was able to run the clinic and provide free vision aid to the students through grants, fundraisers and donations. For more information about the clinic, or to make a donation, log on to the Sight Savers website or call 205-942-2627, ext. 227.
SCARBOROUGH resident Jason Crozier avoided the shattering prospect of losing sight in his right eye with a cornea transplant organized by the Lions Eye Bank.
Diagnosed with keratoconus – a cornea thinning disorder that causes distortion and reduced vision – when he was a youngster, Mr Crozier (33) had the surgery three years ago.
“Ultimately, it would have continued to get worse and my cornea would have perforated and eventually I’d have lost the eye,” he said.
“When it might happen was one of those unknowns.”
Part of the Lions Eye Institute, the eye bank celebrates its 25th anniversary this year after arranging corneal transplants for more than 3400 people.
A senior marine biologist with Sinclair Knight Merz, Mr Crozier said his eyesight was essential to his field duties carrying out underwater observations and his sporting interests away from work.
The efforts of the eye bank and the kindness of the cornea donor had improved his sight and just as importantly, given him peace of mind.
“I’m very grateful to that person and their family, and that they made that decision to give after they had passed away,” Mr Crozier said.
Lions Save-Sight Foundation WA Chairman Ambrose Depiazzi said the foundation continued to prompt community discussion about the sensitive issue of tissue donation, as transplants were the only option for many people with damaged or diseased corneas.
“Many people do not realize that they are more likely to be in a position to donate eye tissue due to broader age and medical acceptance criteria,” Mr Depiazzi said.
The institute is a non-profit organization that relies heavily on support from the community.
Contact the Lions Save-Sight Foundation
