White House Author

Dr. Paul Berman of Hillsdale, N.J., is the founder and senior global clinical adviser of Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes, a program in 80 countries and more than 45 states that provides vision care for intellectually challenged individuals. Through the support of Lions Clubs International Foundation, Essilor and Safilo, more than 90,000 Special Olympics athletes now have prescription eyewear. A member of the Hackensack Lions Club and a Lion for 20 years, Berman uses his skills as an optometrist to provide vision services. In addition, he is currently working on the Lions Lens project in partnership with Essilor, which will provide high-quality, low-cost eyeglasses for Lions’ humanitarian purposes worldwide. This lens is being used in the U.S. and Africa and will be expanded worldwide. Berman dreams of a day when the approximately 50 percent of all people who are blind or visually impaired because of needing a simple pair of glasses can obtain them.