October Named Blindness Awareness Month In Morris County

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Morris County Board of Freeholders has designated October 2017 as Blindness Awareness Month in the county, and has honored Denville-based Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey for their work.

“This is not a world that fully sighted people know much about until they or a loved one are affected by vision loss — which is why the freeholder board is calling attention to the issues of vision by issuing this proclamation,’’ said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana.

Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey has worked for over 60 years to provide non-residential programs for those with vision loss.

“We at Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey are grateful to the Morris County freeholders for recognizing Blindness Awareness Month and honoring our nearly 75 years of empowering people with severe vision loss to help them regain independence,” Executive Director Kris Marino said.

As the population ages, levels of blindness are expected to rise threefold by 2050. Currently, 130,000 adults over 35 have some level of vision loss in New Jersey.

To raise funds, Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey is hosting a Dining In The Dark event where guests will eat in a dark room, to get a glimpse of what vision loss is like. For more information and tickets on the Oct. 16 event, visit their website: vlanj.org/DITD.

Images via Morris County Government