Pediatric Cataract Initiative Seeking Applicants for Research Grant

Oak Brook, Illinois, USA, September 2, 2011 — The Pediatric Cataract Initiative (www.PediatricCataract.org) is now accepting applicants for its second single small research grant. Two grants of US$50,000 each will be awarded to a qualified individual, institution or organization investigating the causes of pediatric cataract and/or improved treatment tools and protocols. The submission deadline is October 14, 2011.

The grant is intended to support innovative research that can be carried out in 12 months with limited resources. Applicants may submit more than one proposal provided that each is scientifically distinct. For complete details on the grant application criteria and process, please read the full request for proposal.

Last year's research grant awardees were to:

• Lumbini Eye Institute to study the cost and clinical effectiveness of a comprehensive pediatric cataract surgery follow-up system in western Nepal and adjacent northern Indian states. The outcomes are expected to have a wide-ranging effect on follow-up regimens in developing nations worldwide.

• Calabar Teaching Hospital to investigate the burden and causes of severe visual impairment and blindness among children in the Cross River State of Nigeria. This is believed to be the first large-scale study of the root causes of childhood blindness in Africa.

The Pediatric Cataract Initiative is a partnership between the Bausch + Lomb Early Vision Institute and Lions Clubs International Foundation to identify, fund and promote innovative methods of overcoming pediatric cataract — a debilitating childhood condition that clouds the eye’s natural lens — for the long-term benefit of children, their families and their communities.

In addition to its global research grant, the Initiative provided US$150,000 Tianjian Hospital in the People’s Republic of China, where at least 40,000 children are estimated to suffer from pediatric cataract. The grant will provide for training and education, equipment and screenings. The prevalence of pediatric cataract ranges from one to four children per 10,000 births in developing countries — 10 times the rate of occurrence in developed nations.

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About Lions Clubs International Foundation
Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) is the official charitable organization of Lions Clubs International, the world’s largest volunteer service organization. The LCIF SightFirst program builds comprehensive eye care systems to prevent the major causes of blindness and care for blind and visually impaired persons. Since 1990, the SightFirst program has helped restore sight to more than 30 million people around the world, investing US$415 million for improvement of hundreds of eye care facilities, surgeries and medication, and training of thousands of eye care professionals. For more information, visit www.lcif.org.

About the Bausch + Lomb Early Vision Institute
The Bausch + Lomb Early Vision Institute is a program of the global eye health company focusing on children’s vision research, treatment, prevention and advocacy. Founded in 1853, Bausch + Lomb is one of the best-known and most respected healthcare brands in the world, with its contact lenses and solutions, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, and ophthalmic surgical products available in approximately 100 countries. For more information, visit www.bausch.com.