Each year, POB impacts approximately 13,000 community members through our evidence-based programs — including vision acuity and glaucoma screenings, eyeglasses distributions and fittings, educational vision resources and events, low vision rehabilitation services and support group networks, and more. We remain committed to comprehensive vision health, ethical service within the community, deep respect for individuals and families in all circumstances, innovation in service delivery, and serving as a facilitator among our medical and social service peers.

Our organization serves the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties of Maryland.

For Children

• Bright Eyes Children’s Vision Screening
• Glasses4Scholars Mobile Vision Clinic
• Affordable Eyeglasses Clinic

For Adults

• Affordable Eyeglasses Clinic
• See For Yourself Screening and Education
• Eye Health Events

For Low Vision (Children and Adults)

• Low Vision Rehabilitation
• Low Vision Resource Center
• Low Vision Resource & Support Network

OUR HISTORY

POB began on June 9, 1936 as the D.C. Society for the Prevention of Blindness, whose seven-point program aimed to bring eye health information and vision screenings to the local community.

POB’s history begins with the story of May (Collins) Vories, a New Orleans native and committed advocate for the visually impaired. When Mrs. Vories arrived in Washington, D.C., she sought to bring evidence-based blindness prevention and eye health information to our community. She established the D.C. Society for the Prevention of Blindness in collaboration with Dr. William H. Wilmer, who was founding director of the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Medicine — the nation’s first university eye clinic.

POB’s original seven-point program consisted of: adequate prenatal care; enactment of a bill to prevent Ophthalmia Neonatorum; appointment of a school oculist; preschool vision tests for children; a medical social worker in the Society’s eye clinic; providing general information on eye health; and creating an industrial and sight survey. By 1946, a vision screening program was implemented for all 9,000 children in D.C. parochial schools.

After more than 85 years, POB remains committed to creating, expanding, and adapting our vital services based on the needs of our community. We serve as Greater Washington’s vision health leader and educator, dedicated not only to blindness prevention, but to the improvement and preservation of sight and quality of life for all community members.