From left to right, Dr. Susan Danberg, Executive Director of Opening Eyes; Dr. Paul Berman, Founder & Clinical Director of Opening Eyes, and Mrs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Founder of Special  Olympics.

When Dr. Susan Danberg first volunteered to perform vision screenings at the 1991 Special Olympic World Games in Minneapolis, she didn’t realize how that event would forever impact her life. While working with about 30 other optometrists, it immediately became obvious to her that this special population needed quality eye and vision care. Nearly 40% of the athletes screened had never had an eye examination and many of the athletes who were wearing glasses were seeing through clinically incorrect prescriptions. It was this pressing need for a comprehensive eye care program for Special Olympians that led Dr Danberg to volunteer her time an energy to the Special Olympics movement.

In 1995 Dr. Danberg was instrumental in organizing the vision screenings at the 1995 World Summer Games in New Haven, Connecticut. Over 900 athletes were screened and 400 pairs of prescription eyewear were dispensed to athletes without charge.

Today, Dr. Danberg travels around the world as the Executive Director of the Special Olympics Lions Clubs International "Opening Eyes" Eye Care Program. The programs goals are threefold: to provide quality eye care to Special Olympians around the world, to provide educational programs for doctors and optometry students to help improve their clinical skills when working with the mentally retarded population, and to also educate parents and athletic coaches about the importance of vision and visual skills on educational and vocational performance of these olympians.

"Working with Special Olympians permanently changes one’s attitude towards people with mental retardation. It is the most rewarding use of my skills as an optometrist" says Dr. Danberg.