New Mosaic Created at the American Academy of Optometry Conference
Will be Donated to the First-Ever Optometry School in Haiti
Project Symbolizes Commitment to Supporting the Global Community in Enhancing Access to Eyecare
**Photos Available Here**
NEW YORK, N.Y. (November 4, 2019) – SUNY College of Optometry announced today that the institution, in collaboration with partners in the field of vision care, recreated the illustrious “Eyes of the World” mosaic during the American Academy of Optometry conference in Orlando, Florida. The original “Eyes of the World” – created during the 2017 Women’s March in New York City to convey social justice through a series of imagery of the human eye – currently resides in the lobby at SUNY College of Optometry.
“Our eyes are extraordinary – they don’t reveal age, gender, education level, sexual orientation or cultural background,” said Joanne Hunter, who organized the original project with her husband Bruce. “They are unique to each of us yet remain a common human characteristic that binds us together. ‘Eyes of the World’ is a piece of collaborative activist art that reminds us to celebrate our collective humanity, equality, and compassion.”
SUNY Optometry, in partnership with Luxottica, Brien Holden Vision Institute, and the American Academy of Optometry, sponsored the recreation that will carry a global community-focused message on the importance of vision and accessibility of eye care. An estimated 800 participants at the conference joined Joanne and Bruce Hunter and their team to create the new piece, which is being donated to the l’Universite d’Etat d’Haiti School of Optometry – the first-ever school of optometry and vision sciences in Haiti.
The recreated mosaic stands at five-foot-high by nine-foot-wide and features 42-domed eyes, approximately 2500 individual tiles, and background that incorporates Haiti’s national flag colors.
“Vision is a critical component of our health and wellbeing, and we are pleased to be a partner in a project that will bring greater awareness to the impact vision and education have within the global community,” said SUNY Optometry President Dr. David Heath. “With the launch of l’Universite d’Etat d’Haiti School of Optometry, locally trained optometrists, over time, will be able to improve access to much needed vision care and services throughout the country and the region.”
Since being installed in the lobby of the SUNY College of Optometry, the “Eyes of the World” mosaic has been an emblem of the college’s unwavering belief that all individuals have the right to access quality vision care.
The American Academy of Optometry Conference convenes vision care professionals each year to learn about the latest trends, technology, and innovative approach to vision care from optometry experts and industry thought-leaders. The annual event feature symposiums, workshops, presentations, and the most recent research. This year’s conference took place on October 23-27.
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About SUNY College of Optometry
Founded in 1971 and located in New York City, the State University of New York College of Optometry is a leader in education, research, and patient care, offering the Doctor of Optometry degree as well as MS and PhD degrees in vision science. The College conducts a robust program of basic, translational and clinical research and has 65 affiliated clinical training sites.
SUNY Optometry is regionally accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools; its four-year professional degree program and residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association. All classrooms, research facilities and the University Eye Center, which is one of the largest optometric outpatient facilities in the nation, are located on 42nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in midtown Manhattan. For more information, visit www.sunyopt.edu or follow us on twitter @sunyopt.
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