What began in 2021 as a landmark three-year partnership between Special Olympics and Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) has transformed vision care for thousands of people with intellectual disabilities, a population often facing social isolation and significant health disparities. Launched amidst a global health crisis, the collaboration aimed to enhance vision services in Kenya and the United States, training a new generation of eye care professionals to provide inclusive and compassionate care. The partnership has not only met but vastly exceeded its goals, creating a lasting legacy of improved health, dignity, and joy.
The initiative’s impact in Kenya has been profound, reaching far into rural communities where vision care is often unavailable. Through a series of nine screening events, Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Foundation Opening Eyes®, a discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®, provided comprehensive vision assessments to 2,149 children and adults with IDD, more than quadrupling the original goal of 500 athletes. For many, this was the first eye exam they had ever received. As a result, 364 individuals received a new pair of prescription eyeglasses to improve their vision. The program also actively engaged and trained local healthcare capacity, providing 122 Kenyan eye care practitioners and 206 optometry students with invaluable hands-on experience in treating patients with IDD.
Across the Atlantic, the partnership made a significant impact at major U.S. events. At the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando and the Special Olympics Unified Cup in Detroit, a total of 1,763 athletes received vision screenings. Out of these screenings, an incredible 1,008 athletes were provided with new prescription glasses to see the world more clearly. Beyond the screening events, the collaboration focused on upskilling eye care professionals across the country. A series of eight online webinars on eye care for individuals with IDD, approved for continuing education credits, was attended by 1,474 eye care practitioners. These valuable resources remain available online, continuing to educate professionals globally on providing inclusive care.
The spirit of this transformative partnership now continues with a new 3-year proposal and was recently embodied in a remarkable event in Tamale, Ghana. On 22 July 2025, the Yumba Special School hosted the country’s first-ever Opening Eyes screening, an occasion that left a memorable footprint on the entire community. The event demonstrated the profound power of Special Olympics to change the lives of people with IDD, along with their families and teachers, through the gateway of vision care.
The regional education coordinator of the government of Ghana, Mildred Mantamia, who was present, noted the immense value of the initiative.
Her words capture the essence of the day’s achievement,“These are vulnerable children and most of the time parents are not aware of their needs and attention they need and [Special Olympics] came here to provide these screenings.
“The children were so excited and [Special Olympics] has gone way ahead and made possible that they see a doctor who will follow up”.
Led by Special Olympics Ghana’s Opening Eyes Clinical Director, Dr. Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo, OD, PhD, FAAO, Senior Lecturer at the optometry department at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), a dedicated team of 24 optometry students and eye care professionals screened 51 athletes with profound intellectual disabilities. For nine of these athletes, the world became clearer as they received new prescription glasses, while seven others were referred for follow-up care at the Tamale Teaching Hospital as glaucoma suspects.
“Participating in the first-ever Special Olympics Opening Eyes eye screening event in Tamale, Ghana was both a humbling and inspiring experience. I was excited to see the joy of the students with intellectual disabilities, many of whom were receiving an eye exam for the very first time,” commented Dr. Akuffo. “Through the screening, we uncovered several unaddressed vision disorders (e.g. refractive errors, strabismus, glaucoma) which may have gone unnoticed due to limited access to care.”
The event’s success was a collaborative effort, with strong support from Special Olympics Ghana, KNUST in Kumasi and the Special Olympics Africa regional team.
This groundbreaking event was also made possible by multiple partners including Safilo, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, Lions Clubs International Foundation and primary funding partner Optometry Giving Sight.
Special Olympics’ success in Ghana is more than just a set of statistics. It is a story of hope, community, and the incredible dedication of volunteers and professionals. It serves as a powerful launchpad for future events, with a palpable momentum to build upon. The professionalism, compassion, and tireless efforts of Dr. Akuffo and his team have not only opened eyes but have also opened doors to a more inclusive future for individuals with intellectual disabilities in Ghana.
He concluded “This event emphasized the need for inclusive healthcare services for individuals with intellectual disabilities as well as the urgent need to bridge the gap in vision care for underserved populations. My fellow student volunteers and I found this to be a profound learning opportunity. We walked away informed and motivated to advocate for vulnerable populations in our future clinical practices. Many thanks to the entire Special Olympics team and for the partners for leading this effort and granting us the opportunity to be part of this historic and life-changing initiative.”
The partnership objectives don’t stop at Yumba school; Thanks to the continued commitment of OGS they extend into building a lasting foundation for vision care in Ghana and beyond. Future plans aim to create sustainable local capacity by training at least 20 eye care professionals and 40 optometry students, and by certifying two new local Clinical Directors to lead future efforts.
On the other side of the globe the goals for upcoming key events are ambitious, with plans to provide screenings to at least 1,000 athletes at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, while also offering hands-on training for 50 professionals and 100 students and to further expand the program’s reach globally, the partnership will translate the series of eight COPE-approved lectures and other key training materials into Spanish making these vital educational resources accessible to a wider international audience of volunteers and health professionals.
