“Wise About Eyes” Exhibit Premier held at the Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery

Athens, OH (January 25, 2012)– On Monday, Prevent Blindness Ohio and the Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery hosted a community premier to introduce the “Wise About Eyes” exhibit, which highlights the importance of eye health and safety education.  Speakers at the event were: Sherry Williams, President & CEO of Prevent Blindness Ohio; Sara Hartman, Chair of the Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery; Zelda Weaver Searls, SOS Program Consultant from the Ohio Department of Health; Jeremy Yehl, Director of Special Services from Athens City Schools; Mr. Larry Kobi from Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.  

 

The Wise About Eyes exhibit educates Ohio’s children and their caretakers on how to keep their eyes healthy and safe. It is an interactive and fun way for families to learn by actually seeing the world as someone who has an eye disease would or by learning how eye safety wear protects our eyes while playing sports or working.  The Wise About Eyes Exhibit is currently on display at the Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery until the end of March.  

 

Vision problems affect one in four school-age children and one in twenty preschoolers.  Eighty percent of what a child learns is visual – good vision is critical to learning. Undetected vision problems can affect how well a child performs in the classroom. An estimated 47,300 Ohio preschool children (1 in 20) have a vision disorder including amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (crossed eyes) that can lead to loss of vision.  

 

“Many eye problems in children can be effectively treated and corrected if diagnosed early”, said Sherry Williams, President & CEO of Prevent Blindness Ohio.  Prevent Blindness Ohio recommends a continuum of eye care for children to include both vision screening and comprehensive eye examinations. All children, even those with no signs of trouble, should have their eyes checked at regular intervals.

 

The “Wise About Eyes” exhibit was funded by the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Child and Family Health Services, and the Save Our Sight Program.  The Save Our Sight Program is supported by $1 donations at the time of vehicle registration to support eye health and safety programs for kids.

 

About Prevent Blindness Ohio

Prevent Blindness Ohio, founded in 1957, is Ohio’s leading volunteer nonprofit public health organization dedicated to prevent blindness and preserve sight. We serve all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to more than 800,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. Prevent Blindness Ohio is an affiliate of Prevent Blindness America, the country’s second-oldest national voluntary health organization. For more information or to make a contribution, call 800-301-2020.  Or, visit us on the web at www.pbohio.org or facebook.com/pbohio.

                                                              From left to right: Larry Kobi, Ohio Bureau of Motor

                                                              Vehicles; Merlin the Wise Owl; Jeremy Yehl, Athens City

                                                              Schools; Paul Wiehl, Mayor of Athens.

 

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