Glaucoma Australia has launched a new fundraising initiative, 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge, encouraging Australians to share a photo of an everyday moment to raise funds for early detection programs and critical support services.
The 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge, part of Glaucoma Australia’s annual Treat Your Eyes campaign, is asking Australians to find, snap and share seven ‘sights’ during World Glaucoma Week (6–12 March 2022) with daily themes to inspire creativity.
Recognised as the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, glaucoma affects 300,000 Australians, with 50% unaware that they have the disease because they haven’t had a comprehensive eye exam.
One of those is 45-year-old father-of-two Mr Shannon Davis.
With no known family history of glaucoma and the only one in his family without prescription glasses, Davis was stunned when an eye exam revealed he was legally blind.
“I was shocked, confused when I was told I had glaucoma and that it was already very advanced in its progression. I had lost a large and irreversible amount of my vision in both eyes,” Davis said.
Associate Professor Ashish Agar, glaucoma specialist and president of the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists, said this can happen to people in the late stages of glaucoma.
“The visual field defects are complex, and patients don’t notice the gradual change in vision. The brain is very clever at hiding peripheral vision loss which is why the disease can sneak up on you. Having check-ups are crucial to every Australian’s eye health, especially those with a family history of glaucoma,” Agar said.
Davis hopes Glaucoma Australia’s new fundraising initiative, 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge, will encourage Australians to place higher value on their sight and be proactive with regular eye exams.
Glaucoma Australia CEO Annie Gibbins said Australians have the power to save their sight by getting their eyes tested and raising funds for ground-breaking research, education and support programs.
“The Treat Your Eyes campaign began as an awareness initiative highlighting the importance of getting an eye check to identify the early signs of glaucoma. The inaugural 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge is amplifying that sight-saving message by asking the community to get creative and fundraise so that we can take glaucoma out of the picture,” Gibbins said.
“Vision loss is largely preventable through early detection, treatment adherence and by supporting the work of our Australian researchers in the fight against this insidious disease.”
Gibbins will be judging the entries for the 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge along with photographer Ms Liz Hemmings, The Forensic Nutritionist author Ms Fiona Tuck, and Mivision magazine managing director Mr Todd Tai.
Visit sevensights.org.au for more information about the 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge.
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