Today at an unveiling ceremony in Pinellas Park, FL, VSP and Transitions Optical launched a new mobile clinic that will provide charitable eye exams and eyewear to people in need across the U.S.
Today, more than 50 pre-screened students from Azalea Elementary located in Pinellas County are the first to benefit from the new clinic. The evaluation process for students grades K-5 included initial screenings by Prevent Blindness Florida. Students who failed the screenings will be given comprehensive examinations in the clinic, staffed by VSP eye doctors. For students requiring prescription lenses, VSP and Transitions Optical will provide the students with complimentary eyewear fitted with Transitions® lenses.
A student of Azalea Elementary School was the first patient and is wearing the first glasses made on board the clinic in the finishing lab!
This partnership marks another milestone in furthering the efforts of the VSP Mobile Eyes® Program. What started as an extension of relief efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the program features two mobile eyecare clinics, each with two comprehensive exam rooms and full eyeglass dispensaries, which respond to disasters and assist people in need in communities throughout the U.S. The new clinic will be the third clinic in the fleet and has the unique feature of a finishing lab featuring full-service lens finishing equipment, donated by Santinelli International, providing patients with glasses on-site.
Rob Lynch, CEO of VSP Global and Dave Cole, Managing Director of Transitions Optical, unveil the new mobile clinic at Transitions headquarters in Pinellas Park, FL.
Here’s what VSP Global’s CEO Rob Lynch said about today’s events:
“Transitions and VSP both have a strong commitment to supporting the community and helping people see better. By leveraging the strength of our two organizations, and in partnership with our 26,000 private practice eye doctors, we will be able to extend our reach even further to help more people in need!”
Last night as I was watching my favorite channel.. The Golf Channel! They were featuring the highlights of the Transitions Championship event. Then I saw our new mobile clinic being highlighted- there was Rob and Dave! How awesome! They were talking about the importance of supporting communities and how we can provide immediate eyecare and eye wear to people in need with the mobile clinic I was so excited I yelled for my family to come watch the story. Thank goodness for my DVR and rewind! I said, “look, that’s my boss unveiling our new mobile clinic, on the Golf Channel! My entire family wears transition lenses and of course, I am a VSP girl.!. It was a very proud moment I shared with my family. What a fabulous partnership and incredible cause that will change the course of so many lives..
That is awesome Kate! We are working on obtaining the clip. When we do, we’ll share it on the blog…
Thanks! Liz