Local optometric physician Dr. Chris Barry will donate his eye examination fees on World Sight Day – Thursday Oct. 9 – to help the estimated 300 million people who are blind or vision impaired simply because they do not have access to an eye exam and a pair of glasses.

Dr. Barry’s practice is at Overlake Eye Care, 1837 156th Ave. N.E., Suite A201, Bellevue; 425-643-2020.

The World Sight Day Challenge is organized by Optometry Giving Sight, the only global fundraising initiative that specifically targets the prevention of blindness and impaired vision due to uncorrected refractive error.

Barry knows firsthand the difference access to eye care can make in poor countries. He has been to Malawi and the Pacific coast of Mexico and will make a return trip to Vietnam in November.

“In many developing countries, people walk for miles to have their vision checked and to get glasses,” Barry said.

Last year, the first year for the World Sight Day Challenge, hundreds of optometric practices participated in the initiative raising more than $250,000, which is funding projects that are providing vision care, local training and infrastructure support in Sri Lanka, East Africa, East Timor and South Africa. This year they expect to significantly increase the number of participants and dollars raised.

For his part, Barry said he not only participates in World Sight Day, but also sponsors a program where he will match patients’ donations to Optometry Giving Sight year-round.

Program supporters say that $5 can provide an eye exam and a pair of glasses in many developing countries.

For more information visit www.givingsight.org.