Archive for May, 2007

Message is Clear – Get Annual Eye Exams

Posted on May 15th, 2007 by Rob L.

Every so often a story makes the news that hits home and causes us to pay attention. If you’re a basketball fan like me, you probably heard about the struggle Utah Jazz Guard Derek Fisher’s young 10-month-old daughter faces with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer, in her left eye. The disease causes a tumor in the retina and affects between 200 and 300 children in the U.S. each year, typically age 5 and under.

Thankfully, the tumor was detected early through a comprehensive eye exam. Even so, once diagnosed, the NBA star and his family had 30 minutes to make a difficult choice — remove the eye and try to get all the cancer, or treat it with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy, and hope that she can keep her eye. They chose the latter, and she is recovering from a successful treatment. In the next few weeks, doctors will repeat the procedure or attempt to remove the tumor.

Immediately following the initial procedure, Fisher made a dramatic entrance to the second half of Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals and gave a stellar performance. After winning the game he had a clear and heart-felt message for the media and his fans. Fisher pleaded with all parents to make sure their kids receive a comprehensive eye exam every year. He said if they had waited any longer, his daughter could have lost her left eye, or much worse her life.

For each story like this in the media, there are hundreds, if not thousands out of the public eye. I hope you are all paying attention and spreading the word about the importance of annual eye exams.

–Rob

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Giving the Gift of Healthy Eyes to Children

Posted on May 9th, 2007 by Rob L.

Cochran_lg.jpeg
Patricia Cochran
Vice President of Finance &
Chief Financial Officer

As VSP’s vice president of Finance and chief financial officer, I oversee VSP’s charitable donations to the community. A key focus of these efforts is expanding access to eyecare for underprivileged children through VSP’s Sight for Students program.

When considering the important factors in a child’s development, things like a sound education and a positive self-image immediately spring to mind. Healthy vision plays a significant role in both of these aspects, for if a student cannot clearly see the blackboard or struggles to read the words in their books, their classroom performance and self-confidence are sure to suffer.

According to a 2007 VSP survey, 65 percent of children nationwide have not had an eye exam in the last 12 months. When low-income families must chose between living expenses and eyecare, these numbers increase further, resulting in tens of thousands of children each year who do not receive the eyecare that they require.

In response to this national need, VSP Vision Care launched the Sight for Students program in 1997 to provide uninsured and low-income students with free comprehensive eye exams and eyeglasses. Today, the program continues to thrive, and through VSP’s annual investment of $12 million, more than 50,000 children receive vital eyecare each year at no cost. I am pleased to announce that as of May 2007, VSP’s national network of eye doctors has served more than 400,000 disadvantaged children through the Sight for Students program.

As a not-for-profit, community benefit company, VSP can make these investments in our community to increase access to care. This is absolutely unique among vision care plans and ranks VSP among the leaders in all of healthcare.

Studies show that poor grades and behavior problems can be attributed to vision impairment. The eye exams provided through Sight for Students help diagnose vision problems and provide children with the vision correction that they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond. When eye exams unlock a struggling student’s potential, they open doors to better learning and new opportunities.

Coupled with our commitment to Sight for Students, VSP supports legislation to increase federal funding for children’s eye exams as a means to improve learning for all children. Expanding eye exams to all children would have a tremendous impact on the health and progress of America ’s young students.

Testimonials from the Sight for Students program show time and time again how a comprehensive eye exam can be a life-changing event for a child. Making a difference in other people’s lives is a core value at VSP, and we will continue to support efforts that help ensure that every child has the opportunity to rise to the head of the class. I look forward to your thoughts on Sight for Students and the importance of eye exams for all children.

─ Patricia

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