Girl Scout Vision Awareness Patch Program

Do you have a Girl Scout in the family who needs another patch? Are you a troop leader in need of a new patch idea? Dr. Tao and the I Care for Eyewear team have the perfect solution for you!

In keeping with Dr. Tao's commitment to the community, he works with Girl Scout troops throughout the area in earning their Vision Awareness Patch. This program offers scouts a first hand look at an optometrist's office and includes activities that are both fun and educational. The program can also introduce scouts to a career in the profession of optometry, encouraging a possible future in the science and technology fields.

The Vision Awareness Patch is brought to troops by the New York State Optometric Association with a goal of helping troops understand the importance of sight and how regular eye exams by a doctor or optometry can ensure detection, diagnosis and prevention or treatment of eye conditions.

Scouts who want to earn their patch (along with their leaders) have to complete 2 activities with Dr. Tao and his team. Activities are as follows:

1. Learn about nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism and how glasses or contacts can help
2. Learn how vision can affect school activities and how a doctor of optometry can help
3. The American Optometric Association's National Save Your Vision Month is in March. Make a poster for your school that promotes eye health and good vision practices.
4. Learn about a career in optometry. What optometry schools are located in or near your state? How do you become licensed? What's an average salary.
5. Run an Eyeglass donation drive. Dr. Tao is an active member of the Canandaigua's Lions Club and regularly donates eyeglasses.
6. Do activities "in the dark". Scouts will be divided into pairs, having one scout blindfolded and the other not blindfolded. The blindfolded scout should try some basic activities like buttoning a jacket or trying their shoes while their partner tries to lead and explain what is going on and be a guide. Scouts then trade roles and discuss how it feels not to see. Then they discuss how they would accomplish certain everyday tasks if they were blind.

Other activities that can be of interest are optical illusions, making pinhole cameras, drawing and labeling parts of the eye or demonstrating/observing how the pupil of the eye reacts in light and dark.

If this program is of interest to you, or you would like more information, please give Dr. Tao and his team a call at 585-393-0031.