October a Month-Long Celebration of Blindness Awareness

October is Blind Awareness Month
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    Blindness Awareness Month was launched in October 2009 by The Little Rock Foundation, an organization in Voorhees, New Jersey, dedicated to serving families with blind or visually impaired children. Tina and Rocco Fiorentino formed The Little Rock Foundation one year after the birth of their child, Rocco, who was born four months premature and blind. As Ambassador for The Little Rock Foundation, Rocco has shown that world blindness doesn’t prevent people from living life to the fullest.

    Blindness Awareness Month seeks to accomplish many things:

    • Education: Companies around the world teach the public about good eye health and the latest research and innovations in the treatment of eye disorders.
    • Inspiration: Stories are shared about blind or visually impaired people accomplishing incredible things most sighted people do not attempt.
    • Advocacy: Organizations garner support for more resources, research, access, and laws that enable people with visual impairments to live fully productive lives and contribute equally to their communities.

    There is no shortage of ways to learn about, celebrate, and support the visually impaired community throughout Blindness Awareness Month.


    National Braille Week — October 10-16th — #NationalBrailleWeek

    October a Month-Long Celebration of Blindness Awareness News Resources National Braille Week is observed from October 10th – 16th to raise awareness of Braille and other non-visual systems that open up written text and literacy to visually impaired people.

    Braille is more than 200 years old and is used in 120 countries. Braille helps people write and read books, magazines, exam papers, business and legal documents, and use phones, computers, and other smart devices to name just a few. Braille is all around us on ATMs, elevators, way-finding signs, in hospitals, public and private buildings, and beyond.

    National Braille Week helps us be mindful of the importance of Braille and to understand how more needs to be done to incorporate Braille to increase literacy and give equal access to blind and visually impaired people worldwide.


    Eye Injury Prevention Month

    Eye Injuries happen at work, at home, at school, and in sports. 90% of all eye injuries could be prevented by taking a few precautions and wearing the proper protective eyewear. All About Vision has some great resources for Preventing Eye Injuries and on the 7 Most Common Eye Injuries and How to Treat Them.


    Home Eye Safety Month

    October a Month-Long Celebration of Blindness Awareness News Resources

    Did you know that approximately half of all eye injuries occur in or around the home? A total of 1.5 million eye injuries happen at home each year. The most common injuries happen in the yard, garage or garden. Another 125,000 eye injuries/year are caused by accidents involving common household cleaning products. The good news is that nearly 90% of these eye injuries are preventable.

    October is Home Eye Safety Month: a time to learn about eye safety and eye injury prevention around the home. A good place to start is the Eye Safety at Home page on the Prevent Blindness website.


    World Sight Day – October 13th — #WorldSightDay

    October a Month-Long Celebration of Blindness Awareness News Resources World Sight Day is held the second Thursday of every October as a global event to bring awareness to avoidable blindness and visual impairment issues.

    World Sight Day has 3 goals:

    1. To raise public awareness about blindness and vision impairment
    2. To influence governments to support blindness prevention
    3. To educate people about avoidable blindness

    The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), under the direction of the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO), and the Lion’s Club International work together to coordinate activities and events the world over to celebrate World Sight Day.


    Meet the Blind Month — #MTBM16 / #NFBMTBM

    According to the National Federation for the Blind (NFB), October is Meet the Blind Month. During Meet the Blind Month, the NFB holds outreach activities to create opportunities and to encourage people to meet blind people living in their communities and to realize that blind people are vital contributing members of society.

    Meet the Blind Month has its own Twitter hashtag if you want real-time information Meet the Blind Month events: #MTBM16 and #NFBMTBM


    World Blindness Awareness Month — #BlindnessAwarenessMonth

    World Blindness Awareness Month was established for every October to help people understand the realities of living without sight. The World Health Organization estimates that almost 285 million people suffer from blindness or visual impairment worldwide. In the United States, about 4 million Americans are blind and 47,000 (1 person every minute) become blind each year.
    October a Month-Long Celebration of Blindness Awareness News Resources
    At least 40 of the 50 United States and countries worldwide organize events through the month of October as part of World Blindness Awareness Month to bring awareness to blindness and related blindness issues.


    White Cane Safety Day – October 15th — #WhiteCaneSafetyDay

    October a Month-Long Celebration of Blindness Awareness News Resources White Cane Safety Day was first signed and proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on October 15, 1964. White Cane Safety Day celebrates the achievements of blind and visually impaired people as well as recognizes the white cane as a “staff of independence for blind people.”

    White Cane Safety Day is a day where governments reaffirm their commitment to providing services to increase the independence and self-sufficiency of blind and visually impaired people. White Cane Safety Day is also a day to remind motorists and pedestrians to yield to people using white canes.

    During White Cane Safety Day people conduct meetings and ceremonies, set up displays, have special walks, hand out t-shirts and literature, and release public service announcements as part of the celebrations.


    Blind Americans Equality Day – October 15th

    In addition to White Cane Safety Day, President Barack Obama has also named every October 15th to be Blind Americans Equality Day to celebrate the important role blind and visually impaired Americans have played in the nation’s life and culture.

    The Presidential Proclamation for Blind Americans Equality Day states:

    “As business leaders and public advocates, teachers and scientists, musicians and athletes, and in countless other ways, blind and visually impaired Americans have profoundly enriched every part of our national life. Today, we celebrate their innumerable contributions, and we recommit to guaranteeing equal access, equal opportunity, and equal respect for all Americans.”

    Blind Americans Equality Day celebrates the contributions of blind and visually impaired Americans and calls for greater equality in access for all.


    Other Resources:


    Celebrate Blindness Awareness Every Day

    October is a great month to highlight blindness and to celebrate people who are blind. However, we need to work together to ensure our blindness community is remembered throughout the year and not just during this important month.

    At New England Low Vision and Blindness we celebrate people with blindness every day of every month, and help them to live full, independent lives by providing leading blindness aids, software, and training services to help them enhance their daily living and do the things they love.

    To learn more about blindness issues or about the blindness technology aids, software and training services we offer, call us at 888-211-6933 or email info@nelowvision.com.

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