Yale Bulletin and Calendar

March 23, 2001

Volume 29, Number 23

The eyes will be the focus of two
events hosted by Unite for Sight

Unite for Sight, a nonprofit organization of Yale students dedicated to preserving sight locally and internationally, is hosting two events in coming weeks.

On Wednesday, March 28, Dr. Bruce Shields, chair of ophthalmology and the Marvin L. Sears Professor at the School of Medicine, will speak on the topic "Through the Eye of An Artist: History of Visual Impairment, Its Agony, Relief and Hope." His presentation will take place at 7 p.m. in Rm. 119 of William L. Harkness Hall, 100 Wall St. The event is free and open to the public.

In his talk, Shields will consider the lives of several prominent artists who were visually impaired, and will review current understanding of the visual disorders, including the advances that have been made to relieve visual loss in some cases and the need for continued research to find answers for the treatment of other disorders.

The author of eight books, Shields' "Textbook of Glaucoma" is in its fourth edition and has been translated into Spanish, German, Japanese and Portuguese. He has lectured widely and has been a visiting professor at over 40 universities. Currently on the board of directors of the American Board of Ophthalmology, he has served as president of the American Glaucoma Society and chair of the Glaucoma Committee of the National Society to Prevent Blindness.

On Sunday, April 1, Unite for Sight will present "Eyes on New Haven," an educational program for children and adults. The event will be held 1:30-4 p.m. at the New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm St. It will feature informational exhibits on eye anatomy, eye health and eye diseases, the ancient history of ophthalmology, how glasses and contact lenses correct vision, and optical illusions. In addition, free vision screenings will be offered to children and adults.

Jennifer Staple, the Yale sophomore who founded Unite for Sight last semester, emphasizes that it is especially important to screen children for vision problems. Some disorders, she notes, such as lazy eye, can cause permanent blindness if not detected by the age of 5. Every year, about 500,000 children become blind in one eye because of the brain malfunction that causes lazy eye, Staple says.

In addition to bringing distinguished scholars in ophthalmology to speak at Yale and in the New Haven communities, Unite for Sight also sponsors free vision screenings for children and adults throughout the year, as well as vision education programs and an eyeglass drive. For information about the group or its upcoming events, send e-mail to jennifer.staple@yale.edu or visit the group's website at www.uniteforsight.org.

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