A discipline of Healthy Athletes, the Lions Clubs International Foundation Opening Eyes
® program provides non–dilated vision screenings, refractions, and fabrication of prescription eyewear to Special Olympic athletes. Opening Eyes strives to positively impact the attitudes of the optometrists, ophthalmologist, opticians, eye care professionals, along with optometry students and ophthalmology residents, who volunteer to care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Opening Eyes Clinical Volunteers serve to educate the athletes, their guardians, and coaches about the importance of vision in performance in sports, school, and work. Through generous donations from our corporate sponsors, Safilo who provides frames, and OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation who provides lenses, athletes will receive appropriate eyewear at the culmination of the screening.
The Opening Eyes screening does
NOT replace a comprehensive eye exam, which includes dilation. Unified partners are not eligible to receive eyewear. Athletes, Unified partners, coaches, and guardians should be aware of this when present at the screening.
For further information or general inquiries related to this discipline, please contact us at
openingeyes@specialolympics.org. SO Program staff and established Clinical Directors are encouraged to submit their questions through our online form available
here.
