Today marks a significant milestone for the Lions Eye Institute in Nedlands as it celebrates its 40th anniversary with the launch of the inaugural Eye to Eye photography competition. The competition is open to photographers of all ages and encourages participants to creatively interpret the theme of eyes and vision.

Four Decades of Visionary Work

Since its inception in 1983, the Lions Eye Institute has garnered worldwide acclaim for its pioneering ophthalmological care and research aimed at preventing blindness and eye diseases. It is distinguished as Australia’s first not-for-profit medical institute, with patient fees contributing to its research funding.

Eye to Eye: A Celebration of Vision

The photography competition, offering over $10,000 in prizes across various categories, is a tribute to the Institute’s commitment to vision health. Categories include three for adults, one for children, and a People’s Choice Award with a $2000 cash prize. The competition aims to parallel the functions of a camera and the human eye, emphasizing aspects such as the regulation of light by the aperture and pupil.

A Million Reasons to Celebrate

As the Institute also commemorates one million patient visits, Managing Director Professor Bill Morgan emphasized the significance of this event. The competition is more than just an anniversary celebration; it’s a testament to the Institute’s continuous dedication to eye health and vision preservation.

Entries are free and will be judged by experts in photography and ophthalmic imaging. The submission deadline is January 16, with winners set to be announced in March. For more information, visit the competition’s website at eyetoeye.lei.org.au.

Last Week’s Winners

In a related development, Indie Dodd of Rimersburg emerged as the winner of a previous Lions Eye Institute photography competition, bagging four tickets to the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. Other notable winners included Jeff Hirsch’s photo of a worker in Vietnam, Jim Scott’s photo of an elephant in Kenya, and John Gravlin’s photo of a blue footed booby in the Galapagos Islands. Several other breathtaking photos captured in places like Iceland and Priest Lake also received honorable mentions.