Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington

More than 75 years of sight-saving work

Since 1936, POB has offered critical vision services to our community. 

Each year, we help thousands of people cope with vision loss, retain their independence, catch vision problems early, obtain eyeglasses and eye exams when they cannot afford them, and learn about vision health from a trusted source.

In 2015, we are excited to move to a new and improved headquarters on Capitol Hill, adding space and functionality to allow POB to improve accessibility and touch more lives.

Today, we have the opportunity to set the course for POB well into the future.

Support Networks – POB’s Aging Eye, Macular Degeneration and Stargardt’s networks offer monthly lectures and support group meetings for the community. Our new headquarters will feature a large lecture hall, which will allow these important programs to expand and to reach more people.

Low Vision – The Low Vision Learning Center helps those with low vision retain their independence through personalized vision rehabilitation. POB’s new building will enhance our low vision outreach with an additional learning center that provides assistive technology training and rehabilitation in DC.

Eyeglasses – The Eyeglasses for the Needy program provides affordable eyeglasses to thousands of low-income and homeless individuals each year. Our expanded facility will allow us to provide this meaningful resource to more community members in need.

Adult Screenings – POB screens thousands of adults each year for glaucoma, a dangerous eye disease that often presents no symptoms in early stages. Expanding our ability to provide free screenings to the public will allow us to catch eye diseases early and prevent vision loss for even more adults.

Child Screenings – We screen 8,000 children each year for vision issues, providing early detection that can prevent vision loss and related learning disabilities. By reaching more schools to provide screenings, POB will be able to catch problems early when they can still be treated, before permanent vision loss has occurred.