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Girl Scout Patch

Girl Scout Patch Form

To earn a Vision Awareness Girl Scout Patch, Complete eight activities listed below, which must include one of the two starred (****) activities.

**** 1.	Visit an optometrist in your area or have one come to a meeting. Have a list prepared with questions concerning nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, glaucoma, crossed eyes, cataracts; how the eyes are tested; what causes different diseases; vision therapy.

**** 2.	Visit a local optical lab or have a lab representative visit a meeting. Have questions prepared, such as: How are glasses made? What do lenses look like for nearsighted, farsighted, and bifocal corrections before they are put into frames? What is a photochromic lens? Etc.

3.	Appreciate your sight. Spend at least 45 minutes blindfolded. During that time, try the following: buttoning your shirt, zipping a coat, tying your shoes, eating a snack, conducting your troop meeting.

4a.	Young children often experience vision problems that are not easily detected. Find out about vision problems in young children from an optometrist or other vision care professional.
OR
4b.	Do skits illustrating different vision problems young children may experience. Invite parents and teachers to your meeting to see your skits.


5.	Schools usually test students for distance vision problems. Find out what other vision tests are done in your school. Find out about a near point test. If possible, obtain a near point test and try it with a troop of younger girls.

6.	Find out what statewide vision projects are going on in your state and participate in a state project.

7.	People with impaired vision must learn to adjust to their disability. Invite a representative from the local Association for the Blind to speak at a meeting. Find out what support groups are available in your community for a person with impaired vision.

8a.	Make a poster for your school that promotes good vision practices.
OR
8b.	Have a vision fair at school or in your community. Write for pamphlets and information to share with your school or community.

9.	Careers in vision care are very diverse. Learn about these careers which relate to vision correction: Optician, Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, Paraoptometric, Vision Lab Technicians, & related careers in Vision Therapy.

10.	What can you do to improve your own vision? Learn about how your vision is affected by TV, computer screens & sports injuries. Make a plan to improve your vision environment.

11.	Vision aids are readily available in the USA. Find out what types of vision help (glasses, tests, therapy, etc.) are available in at least one other country.

12.	Draw a diagram of the eye, labeling the anatomy—iris, sclera, cornea, pupil, etc.