- Prevent Blindness and its affiliates join with the global organization, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, on "World Sight Day," offering a variety of free public eye health events and programs -

CHICAGO, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Prevent Blindness, the nation's leading patient advocacy organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight, is joining with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) for its annual "World Sight Day" initiative. Prevent Blindness, its affiliates and partners, in keeping with the annual theme of "Love Your Eyes," will be engaging in a variety of advocacy and eye health education events leading up to World Sight Day on Oct. 8, 2026.

Activities and resources offered free to the public for World Sight Day include certified vision screenings for adults and children, downloadable resources for health professionals including school nurses, advocacy activation activities, and more. These World Sight Day activities are generously supported by funding from Amgen and Alkeus Pharmaceuticals.

The new "Safeguarding Sight: Pediatric Optometry Lecture Series" from Children's Wisconsin, sponsored by the National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) and Prevent Blindness Wisconsin, is kicking off on Oct. 8, 2026. Open to optometrists across the United States, through case-based discussion and expert clinical insights, the new program is designed to enhance the confidence, competence, and clinical readiness of community-based optometrists in providing exceptional care for young children. Registration is free, and participants can earn up to 1.5 CE credits.

And, the NCCVEH continues to offer the World Sight Day toolkit in partnership with the National Association of School Nurses. The comprehensive resource for teachers, parents, school nurses and staff provides a variety of downloadable materials including bookmarks, stickers, coloring pages, and more. 

On the advocacy front, Prevent Blindness is mobilizing the more than 115 organizations that support the Early Detection of Vision Impairments for Children (EDVI) Act (H.R. 2527) in a coordinated push to build support for the bipartisan legislation. As Congress will be in recess for the upcoming U.S. election, Prevent Blindness will be launching a grasstops campaign that emphasizes how the EDVI Act would strengthen children's vision and eye health at the state and local level. Through this "ask and amplify" initiative, Prevent Blindness is inviting partners to show their support for the bill across social media, urge their members of Congress to cosponsor the EDVI Act, and connect new organizations to information about the EDVI Act. Prevent Blindness will further elevate these efforts across its own channels and networks.

If passed, the EDVI Act, led by Congressional Vision Caucus co-chairs Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) and Marc A. Veasey (D-TX-33), would create the first federal program dedicated to children's vision and eye health through coordinated systems of care.

Longtime Prevent Blindness partner Delta Gamma will once again be launching its annual "Do Good Week," October 8-15, encompassing both World Sight Day and White Cane Awareness Day (Oct. 15, 2026). Delta Gamma members may access free educational resources from Prevent Blindness and Delta Gamma through the "Service for Sight" online portal.

Finally, Prevent Blindness and its affiliates will be hosting World Sight Day-themed eye health education events and provide certified vision screenings across the country. Affiliates and program partners include Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness, Prevent Blindness Georgia, Prevent Blindness Iowa, Prevent Blindness North Carolina, Prevent Blindness Ohio, Prevent Blindness Texas, and Prevent Blindness Wisconsin.

"Prevent Blindness and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness share the same important mission of saving sight through education and awareness, breaking down barriers to access to care, and engaging policymakers to ensure healthy vision is afforded to all," said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. "World Sight Day provides a tremendous opportunity for groups like ours and others around the world to work together toward the common goal of improving vision and eye health for all."

For more information on this year's Prevent Blindness World Sight Day activities, local events and/or sponsorship opportunities, please visit https://preventblindness.org/calendar/2026-world-sight-day/.

For more information on World Sight Day, please visit iapb.org/world-sight-day.

About Prevent Blindness
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, visit us at PreventBlindness.org, and follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube.

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SOURCE Prevent Blindness