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= Sight Savers America = Sight Savers America (SSA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to identify and secure treatment for unmet vision and health needs that impede a child’s ability to reach their full potential in school and in life. Founded in 1997, SSA operates four programs that fulfill this mission: Children’s Eye Care Network, I Can See Now, Vision Check and KidCheck Plus.

History
Sight Savers America began its work in 1997 when CEO and founder Jeff Haddox realized that poor vision was affecting tens of thousands of children each year. In his 20 plus year role as a vision scientist, Haddox learned many children would never succeed in school because of neglected eye care. He knew many children could be corrected to 20/20 eyesight, while others with more serious low vision conditions could maximize their sight with enhanced technological advances. Sight Savers America now has programs in place to help children receive routine eye care and attend mobile eye clinics, mobile low vision clinics, and in-home delivery of vision aids and training in how to use them – all at no cost to low income children.

Education and public awareness are also important tools Sight Savers America employs to help children with poor vision. Families often are unaware their kids aren’t getting the care and treatment they need, most times not out of neglect, but lack of information. Families simply don’t realize that children should have their eyes examined at a very early age. Children can’t articulate their vision needs, but if vision problems are caught early enough, most can be treated successfully.

Children's Eye Care Network
The Children’s Eye Care Network provides free statewide comprehensive eye care follow-up to qualifying children in Alabama and Mississippi, as well as scattered throughout the states of FL, GA, SC, and TN. This program serves children who fail a school-based vision screening. Each child is case managed to ensure that they receive necessary follow-up care. SSA works to enroll uninsured children in Medicaid or ALL Kids, but the Children’s Eye Care Network leverages resources to ensure that any uninsured child is also able to receive their follow-up eye care, including the appointment and treatment (eye glasses, medications, eye surgeries, vision aids, or any other prescribed treatment), at no cost to the child’s family. SSA has more than 600 optometrists and ophthalmologists in their eye care network. Since SSA’s inception, more than 400,000 children have received support via their Children’s Eye Care Network.

I Can See Now
Children with severe visual impairment often do poorly in school, which can lead to unrealized potential in adulthood. Severe visual impairment can hinder a child’s ability to perform everyday tasks, and cannot be corrected by eyeglasses, contact lenses, medication or surgery. Children with low vision may find it difficult or impossible to accomplish activities such as reading, writing, grooming themselves, watching television, or even recognizing their mother’s face. I Can See Now places life-changing assistive technology into children’s homes, improving their independence and self-esteem. This technology can have a dramatic effect on a child’s life, and is not covered by insurance. The I Can See Now program is currently operating in 10 states: AL, AR, GA, FL, MS, TN, TX, LA, IL, and CA.

Vision Check
Vision Check provides vision screenings to school children in underserved parts of Alabama using a Plusoptix auto refractor. The Plusoptix captures refraction data in less than one second; ensuring students miss a minimal amount of classroom instruction time. With this device, students are screened for a wide range of vision problems, including anisocoria, anisometropia, astigmatism, corneal reflex abnormalities, myopia, and hyperopia. Each child’s results are electronically stored on-site, within the internal database of the Plusoptix. This device also produces an extensive screening report for the school nurse and the child’s parents containing detailed data about the refractive measurements of the child’s eyes. Each child in need of follow-up eye care is referred to the Children’s Eye Care Network.

KidCheck Plus
KidCheck Plus is a comprehensive, school-based health screening program for preschool - 12th grade students in underserved parts of Alabama. For many children, KidCheck Plus is the only head-to-toe health screening they receive in a given year. KidCheck Plus partners with over 20 two and four-year college nursing schools across Alabama. Health screenings include Height and Weight with BMI; Vital Signs; Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat Examination; Chest & Abdomen Examination; Dental; Skin and Musculoskeletal; Vision; Hearing; Glucose & Cholesterol; and Scoliosis. The most common health issues identified at KidCheck Plus events are vision, dental, and obesity.

Hero For Sight Luncheon
Sight Savers America holds an annual celebration to honor individuals or organizations whose impact on children’s eye care in the state of Alabama has been both lasting and profound. The Sight Savers America Hall W. Thompson Hero For Sight Award is presented each year in honor of Hall Thompson’s legacy of supporting children’s eye care in Alabama. Hall was instrumental in helping Sight Savers America expand to serve children in all 67 Alabama counties. Through the work of Sight Savers America, Alabama is a national model for children’s eye care and Hall Thompson played an important role in that achievement.

The inaugural year for the Sight Savers America Hero For Sight Event was 2014. Recipients and Artist of the Sight Savers America Hall W. Thompson Hero For Sight Award are listed below:

2014 – Recipient - Songs for Sight, Artist - Jeff Hanson 2015 – Recipient - Hartwell Davis, Jr., Artist - Allan Eddy 2016 – Recipient - Monday Morning Quarterback Club/Crippled Children’s Foundation, Artist - Amy Monthei

The Sight Savers America Hall W. Thompson Hero For Sight Award is permanently displayed on the 25-foot tribute wall in the first floor lobby of the Callahan Eye Hospital in Birmingham, AL. The space is comprised of several elements, including a plaque that shares the mission and scope of Sight Savers America’s work, a plaque that honors Hall Thompson’s work on behalf of children’s vision in Alabama, and plaques recognizing the Hero For Sight Award recipients. A unique part of the space is the original work of art that is commissioned on an annual basis. This original artwork will be displayed in the center of the space for one year to honor the current award recipient.