The importance of eye care is in the spotlight during the month of October, Eye Care Awareness Month.
Ster-Kinekor celebrated World Sight Day on 13 October, an annual day of awareness that focuses on blindness and vision impairment, at the Mall of Africa cinema in Midrand.
Vision Mission, Ster-Kinekor’s flagship CSI programme, continues in its mission to make a difference to the eyesight of children around the country, one pair of spectacles at a time. “Making a difference to the eye care health of underprivileged children across the country is the primary focus of our CSI initiative, Vision Mission,” explained Geraldine Engelman, CSI manager of Ster-Kinekor Theatres.
“It is estimated that 75 per cent of blindness is avoidable either through prevention or through treatment, which is why it is important to undergo an eye test at least once a year.”
Ster-Kinekor invited Steve Tshwete Secondary School, Seshegong Secondary School and Olieven Secondary School for eye testing at its cinemas, in partnership with the Department of Health and Spec Savers.
The 110 pupils who required spectacles were fitted with specs, sponsored in partnership with Spec Savers. The event was attended by the guest of honour, Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, together with Sandhaya Singh, director of Chronic Diseases, Disability, Geriatrics and Eye Health at the Department of Health, as well as Vision Mission’s strategic partners and members of the media.
The pupils were also treated to cool drinks and popcorn as they watched the action/adventure film, Deepwater Horizon.
“Our objective with our CSI project is to provide corrective eye care to disadvantaged pupils. Together with our supportive partners, we are able to identify schools within the communities in which we have cinemas that would benefit from our services. World Sight Day has provided us with the perfect opportunity to work together to give the pupils of Steve Tshwete Secondary School, Seshegong Secondary School and Olieven Secondary School a clear and bright future,” said Engelman.
According to Engelman, the programme is also aligned to the World Health Organisation’s 20/20 Vision Project that aims to eradicate preventable blindness by the year 2020.
