About Us
Founded in 1905, Lighthouse International is the leading non-profit organization worldwide dedicated to preserving vision and to helping people of all ages overcome the challenges of vision loss.
The need for vision healthcare services is more critical now than at any time in our history. As the baby boomer generation ages, people are living longer and conditions that cause vision loss, such as diabetes, are affecting even the very young.
The statistics are compelling: There are 161 million people worldwide who are visually impaired -- 37 million are blind and 124 million have low vision. Without intervention, the number of people with impaired vision could almost double by 2020.
In the US alone, 16.5 million people age 45 or older self-report some form of vision impairment even when wearing glasses or contacts. (Lighthouse National Survey on Vision Loss) By 2010, this figure will grow to 20 million.
The Lighthouse is responding to this vision loss epidemic by:
- providing unparalleled quality Vision Rehabilitation services to prevent or reduce the disabling effects of vision loss
- preserving vision through the early detection and management of eye disease
- continuing to partner with organizations such as the New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped to ensure that all individuals suffering from vision loss have access to the services they require
- empowering people of all ages who are visually impaired to be safe, productive, and independent
We are uniquely positioned to accomplish this through the synergy of our clinical services, education, research and advocacy programs.
For more than 100 years, we have been leaders in meeting the evolving needs of people across the full continuum of vision impairment - from low vision to blindness - here in New York, across the country and around the globe. In the next century, Lighthouse will continue to expand our efforts to save people's sight and teach people how to live better with vision loss.