Have you ever watched the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games? Whether you’ve seen them on television or in person, the opening ceremonies are a spectacular event to kick off the athletics, community, and sportsmanship in the days that follow. Special Olympics is no different. Dr. Byrne recently had the honor of attending the opening ceremonies for Special Olympics in the auditorium of Villanova College in Pennsylvania last November. The energy could have filled the entire state of Pennsylvania.
The mission of Special Olympics – Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes® is to improve the quality of life for the millions of individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities by optimizing their vision, eye health and visual skills through quality eye care.
The objectives of Opening Eyes include:
Providing screenings to Special Olympics athletes•
Educating athletes, parents and coaches about the importance of regular eye care•
Educating and changing attitudes of eye care professionals about the vision care needs of persons • with intellectual disabilities worldwide
Increasing knowledge of visual and eye health needs of persons with intellectual disabilities through • research.
Dr. Byrne has been volunteering with this event since 2008 and now has the honor of being the clinical director. She invites you to join her Saturday, May 20th, 2017 at the UNM stadium parking lot in Albuquerque for the Special Olympics Opening Eyes Lions Club vision screening. This is a great opportunity to volunteer with, learn from, and promote the health and dignity of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Be part of creating joy and better vision in the world.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact Dr. Erin Byrne at ecbyrne@eyenm.com.