Photos of a woman with a bandaged eye using a magnifier, an African-American man reading from a Braille book, and photo of smiling child wearing glasses in a classroom

Needs We Address

People who live with visual impairments and blindness face unacceptable disparities with respect to personal independence and well-being. These inequalities are manifest particularly by increased challenges in accomplishing daily life activities; limited access to medical care, nutritious food, and other critical services; difficulties with emotional health; and a decreased potential to learn successfully in school.

Our Impact Population

Sights for Hope’s impact population in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley – defined as Lehigh and Northampton counties – and Monroe County is comprised of more than 26,000 people, according to United States Census bureau data. There are more than 17,100 people ages 7 and up who have significant difficulty seeing while using glasses or equivalent solutions and more than 8,900 children ages 0-6.

Needs Addressed by Our Client and Patient Services

  • Transportation has been identified as top priority outcome in St. Luke’s University Network’s 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment.
  • The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley has identified transportation as a critical intervention strategy to promote healthy aging.
  • Adults with vision impairments often have lower rates of workforce participation and productivity and higher rates of depression and anxiety, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
  • Vision impairments in older adults can contribute to social isolation, difficulty walking, and a greater likelihood of early entry into assisted living facilities, according to the WHO.
  • Older Pennsylvanians with visual impairments are up to twice as likely to suffer a stroke, diabetes, falling, Cancer, and kidney disease than other Pennsylvanians in their age group, according to The Ohio State University College of Optometry and VisionServe Alliance.
  • One-third of older Pennsylvanians with visual impairments have an annual household income of less than $20,000, according to The Ohio State University College of Optometry and VisionServe Alliance.
  • Visual impairments affect an economic burden of $138 billion annually in the United States, as expressed in 2013 dollars, according to a study from the University of Chicago. Expressed in 2023 dollars, that burden is $175.8 billion annually – or approximately $526 for each American.

Needs Addressed by Our Prevention Services

  • Approximately 80% of what a typical child learns comes through their visual system, according to researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
  • Approximately 10% of preschool children have a visual impairment significant enough to impact their learning, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). However, 85% of pre-kindergarten children do not receive a professional vision exam, according to the AOA.
  • Meanwhile, 14% of pre-kindergarten children screened by Sights for Hope in 2022-2023 were found to have an undetected visual impairment and impairments were detected in 15% of pre-kindergartners during the prior year.
  • The United States Census Bureau reports that there are 63,820 children ages 0-6 in our service area as of July 2021. Multiplying that number by 14% determines that 8,934 of these children have a visual impairment that keeps them from learning most effectively.
  • An international study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has noted a sharp increase in nearsightedness in children ages 6-8 during the COVID-19 pandemic and its authors are concerned about the effects of prolonged exposure to digital screens.
  • Our community education programs promote eye health, eye safety, and inclusion of people with visual impairments throughout our communities.