Hillsborough Commissioners Proclaim October as World Sight Month
Tens of thousands of residents across Hillsborough County receive vital vision screenings and medical eye care assistance each year from a statewide nonprofit that just accepted a formal county proclamation. According to the Hillsborough County government news service, the Board of County Commissioners recognized the organization during their October Quarterly Awards Ceremony, formally declaring October 2026 as World Sight Month.
Kevin Bakewell, Board Chair for Preserve Vision Florida, accepted the proclamation before the Board. Following the presentation, Bakewell thanked the commissioners and emphasized the daily reach of the organization. “Preserve Vision is not just the name of our organization, it’s also what we do,” Bakewell said, describing the effort as a profound service delivered to local residents annually.
The Growing Scale of Vision Loss in Florida and Beyond
The local recognition arrives against a backdrop of widespread vision impairment highlighted by global and state health data. World Health Organization figures show that at least 2.2 billion people globally live with a near or distance vision impairment, and at least 1 billion of those cases could have been prevented or remain unaddressed. Regionally, the need is equally pressing. Preserve Vision Florida notes that one in three children enters school with vision loss, while roughly 75 percent of adults rely on some form of vision correction. For older adults, untreated vision problems significantly increase the risk of accidental falls, social isolation, and clinical depression.
Founded in 1957 by Mildred Baynard in St. Petersburg, Preserve Vision Florida operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency providing public awareness campaigns, vision screenings for children and adults, and assistance in obtaining medical eye care and prescription glasses. As the organization notes in its state registry background, about 62 percent of adults and 82 percent of homeless individuals screened by the group are referred for necessary medical examinations and glasses.
Expanding Advocacy and Upcoming Milestones Across the Region
The Hillsborough proclamation follows a similar regional action in nearby Pasco County. As reported by Preserve Vision Florida, the Pasco Board of County Commissioners presented a resolution declaring October 8, 2026, as World Sight Day in Pasco County to mark the nonprofit’s ongoing geographic expansion.
Looking ahead, the organization has announced that Darryl Shaw will receive its Person of Vision Award. Shaw will be honored as the 60th recipient during the organization’s Person of Vision Award Dinner and 70th-anniversary celebration scheduled for February 3, 2027, at the Hilton Tampa Downtown.
Data from Prevent Blindness America cited by the agency places the annual economic cost of eye disorders and vision loss in the United States at $139 billion.
