Helping Blinded Vets Of Different Eras Connect

The effort is an initiative of the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) and the organization's Director of Government Relations, Tom Zampieri, who is himself a blinded veteran.

The connection between the two groups of veterans was made at the recent BVA convention. Thanks to the generous support of Health Net Federal Services, Genentech and GlaxoSmithKline, seven veterans of the Iraq War and one from the war in Afghanistan were brought to the convention.

Physical and emotional isolation can be a huge issue for those who have only recently lost their eyesight. It's thought that meeting with other veterans, who are among the few who understand what they are truly going through, will help the new veterans understand their options.

The Department of Defense has confirmed that between March 2003 and April 2005, 16 percent of all wounded evacuees from Iraq had serious eye injuries.

Most, though not all, of the men and women suffering eye casualties have been young soldiers victimized by unfortunate encounters with improvised explosive devices or sniper fire in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some have also returned with permanently damaged or lost limbs.

"Our gratitude to these brave men and women, as well as their families, all of whom have sacrificed so much for us individually, and as a nation, makes it an honor to be in their presence," said BVA Executive Director Tom Miller.

Zampieri says that the VA Office of Research & Development estimates there are more than 160,000 blinded veterans in America today, and nearly 45,000 are currently enrolled in the VA health care system.

VA also estimates that by 2010, the number of blinded veterans enrolled will be close to 50,000, due to eye disorders such as glaucoma and macular degeneration that are associated with aging. BVA helps these veterans to regain their self-respect and contribute to the communities in which they live and work.

BVA stands ready to provide direction and assistance. The association's services are free and available to any blinded veteran. Membership is not a prerequisite for help.

For more information, visit www.bva.org or call (800) 669-7079. It's estimated that more than 200 soldiers and marines have suffered serious eye injuries in the global war on terror, and 40 are legally blind.

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