CLAY COUNTY – MOMS for Sight, Inc, a nonprofit offering support to families living with retinal degenerative diseases and helping fund sight-saving research, celebrated by surpassing $100,000 in donations in the past 10 years at its “Black ties and Blindfolds” gala.

Net proceeds go to Foundation Fighting Blindness, an organization dedicated to funding sight-saving research around the world. The night not only included a silent auction and presentation, but it also included “Dining in the Dark” where patrons were asked to wear blindfolds during dinner to better understand the challenges of being sightless.

This year marks the organization’s 10th anniversary of becoming incorporated. “This year, our 10-year cumulative effort will hit well over $100,000, our event has sold out for the first time, and our impact is growing,” said Director Suzi Ford.

MOMS for Sight is an approved recipient of the EXIT Realty Corp Intl Spirit of EXIT Dollar-for-Dollar Matching Program which will match the funds raised by EXIT Associates benefiting Black Ties and Blindfolds up to $5,000.

“Once we hit $5,000, we will have secured the additional $5,000 match. This is on top of all of the other fundraising and sponsorships for the event,” Ford said.

Over 50 years, the Foundation Fighting Blindness has provided $856 million to the world’s elite in research science.

“We are trying to ensure that low-vision specialists share resources such as our Chapter with their patients so no other family has to feel as scared and isolated as we once did,” Ford said. “They are not alone. We are volunteers who simply want to make a meaningful difference in our community and help others so their struggle is less significant because education, resources, and support are right here for them.”

Ford lived in Orange Park, but her work encompasses most of Northeast Florida.

Ford’s grandfather was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a group of rare eye disorders that affects the retina’s ability to respond to light. However, as his peripheral vision worsened and the patches of vision loss became more prominent and closed in on his central vision, it became apparent that more testing needed to be done and it would involve more family members.

Choroideremia is estimated to affect between 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 100,000 individuals. However, it would follow Ford’s family for four generations.

“We learned that my mom and aunt were both carriers because they inherited the affected gene. They had a 50/50 chance of passing it on. My cousin inherited it. My aunt was pregnant with him and he was born a few months after the trip to Billings Hospital. My brother and I both inherited it,” she said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are 21 million Americans considered blind (20/400 or worse) or visually impaired. This makes up about 9% of the population. Nearly 70% of blind or visually impaired people are unemployed. 30% of blind Americans are living below the poverty line. Only 31% will get a high school diploma, and only 14% will get a Bachelor’s degree or higher. When you look at the statistics, it might seem discouraging, even hopeless, but this is because we are looking at the world from our perspective, rather than looking at the world from theirs. Blindness does make you different. It just makes you see things differently.

Hope does not see with the eyes. It sees with the heart. If you would like to support MOMS for Sight, you can donate on their webpage or follow MOMS for Sight on Facebook to learn more about the organization and the strength of its community.