World Sight Day
"TAKING A STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN"
RINGWOOD AND FORDINGBRIDGE LIONS JOIN GLOBAL CRUSADE TO CONQUER BLINDNESS
Lions World Sight Day Aims to Educate Millions Worldwide
The World Health Organization has estimated that the number of blind people in the world could double in the next 25 years. To combat the leading causes of blindness and assist in preserving vision, the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Lions Club participated in Lions World Sight Day on Thursday 8th October to heighten awareness and education about sight preservation and preventable blindness.
The Ringwood and Fordingbridge Lions Club joined in this nationwide event by leading a 300-metre blindfolded walk from the Town Halls of Fordingbridge and Ringwood at noon - precisely the same time as Lions Clubs throughout the British Isles and Ireland were doing the same thing, making it the largest simultaneous blindfolded walk on record.
The walk was attended by local dignitaries and civic leaders, including The Mayor of Fordingbridge Councilor Malcolm Connolly, The Mayor of Ringwood Councillor Christine Ford, Members of the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Blind Club and Lions Club Members
"It is estimated that 40 million people around the world are blind," said Lion Yorky Tuke President of the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Lions Club. "On Lions World Sight Day, the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Lions are working in unison with Lions clubs around the world to educate millions of people on the importance of proper eye health care."
On a worldwide scale, an estimated 75 per cent of all blindness is found in Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization. In Africa, there are an estimated 500,000 new cases of cataracts each year, of which only one in ten is operated upon. In India, 80 per cent of the blind suffer from cataracts, with more than 3.8 million new cases reported each year.
Lions World Sight Day is a global vision initiative sponsored by Lions Clubs International and Lions Clubs International Foundation. The event is held annually on the second Thursday of October to raise awareness about sight-related issues. Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization with nearly 1.3 million members in approximately 46,000 clubs in 205 countries and geographical areas around the world. For more information about Lions Clubs International in the British Isles and Ireland, visit the website at www.lionsmd105.org 
