The Seeing Eyes program is where we setup vision testing at many regional, national, and international Special Olympic events.  We screen each athlete.  Those that fail the initial screening are moved to the next station for a full vision test with a qualified Doctor.  Those that need glasses are then sent to the next station where they will receive their new eyewear, fitted by a qualified technician.  In many cases, we have lens cutting machines on site to make custom lenses for those that need them.

My story goes back about 15 years.  I was a volunteer at a Province wide (Ontario) Special Olympics event.  I was on the initial screening team.  This one athlete, aged around 40 and was Mongoloid.  He did not have glasses.  On screening him, his results were “off the table”!  Thinking this must be some kind of error, I rescreened him and got the same result.  I personally escorted him to the next station.  The Eye Doctor confirmed that the individual was “virtually blind” – he was only able to see clearly approximately 4 feet.  The doctor stated that he was likely like this from a very young age and simply got used to seeing totally blurred images.

I took him to the eyewear station, with his prescription.  He needed very thick, specialised lenses which the onsite machine could not make.  The Optician made a few phone calls and found a place, in Toronto, that offered to make these lenses right away.  Four hours later, those glasses arrived.  I found our athlete and brought him to the fitting station.  Immediately he put the glasses on, he cried.  He looked around at everything.  He picked up small objects on the table.  He didn’t even wait to have his fitting adjusted.  He went to every station, still crying, and gave the tightest hug to everyone, including me.  I will never forget that moment or that hug.  It was life changing, not only for him, but me and many others at the event.  The sad part is that his guardians never took him for a vision test.

It is easy for us to take things for granted and complain about things that don’t always go right for us.  But when you look at these athletes and their incredible abilities, I don’t think we have any right to complain about anything.  His event was basketball.  His team didn’t win the trophy, but they all won in their own way, especially my once virtually blind friend.

Paul Baker