Run Faster, Jump Higher and See Better. The Lions Opening Eyes Program is a project resulting from a partnership between the Lion Clubs International Foundation and the Special Olympics' Healthy Athlete Initiative. The program provides athletes at selected Special Olympics games with:

• Free vision screening
• Free glasses and sports goggles on the spot
• Free eye exam for glaucoma and other eye diseases.

The Lions Opening Eyes Program provides better vision for an under served population and supports blindness prevention through early detection. Funding for this program has come from the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). There have been three grants supporting this program since 2001.

2001 - $3.30 million		The initial 3yr grant
2003 - $2.00 million		The second grant to extended the program to June 2005
2004 - $3.85 million		The third grant for a 30 month extension to fund 270 screening events world wide.

In conducting the program, volunteer support is received from numerous Lions Clubs.