Posts Tagged ‘children’

#BlogHer10 asks, @VSPVisionCare answers

BlogHerIn honor of #BlogHer10, we asked this year’s attendees on twitter to send us their eyecare questions. We received lots of great questions and wanted to share just a few of them along with the answers. Be sure to follow @VSPVisionCare for more tips and useful information related to eyecare and eyewear.

@CleverGayleWhen should children have their first vision test?

– Eyecare experts say children should have their first eye exam when they’re only 6 months old. They should have another one between 2 and 3 years, just before kindergarten, and then annually after that. More on children and eyecare.

@msmorevI’d like to know the best way to protect my eyes from the computer screen.

– American workers spend 6 hours a day using a computer or digital device so it’s important to take frequent breaks. The next time you’re sitting in front of your computer, remember the 20-20-20 rule: after 20 minutes of computer use, look at something 20 feet away, for 20 seconds. Check out some more tips on how to keep your eyes safe in a digital world.

@toonces1989 - is it really essential to have your eyes dilated if you’re not having any problems?

– Yes, eyecare experts recommend getting your eyes dilated every year. Dilation allows your eye doctor to make sure your eyes are healthy. During a dilated eye exam, your eye doctor can see the blood vessels in your eyes, which can show signs of chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. With age, the pupil becomes smaller, making dilation even more essential. More on the importance of dilation.

Thanks everyone for sending us these great questions. We’ll continue to answer the other questions that were submitted through our Twitter account – @vspvisioncare. So, be sure to follow us and keep the questions coming. We want to know what you’re thinking about when it comes to your eyes!

Giving Back in Grand Rapids

On June 8th and 9th, the VSP Mobile Eyes programpartnered with Dr. Laura Kenyon, O.D., president of the West Michigan Optometric Association (WMOA), and Chris Buczek from the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) Hearing and Vision Screening program, to provide close to 100 children and families with free comprehensive eye examinations and eyewear.

Eight local VSP optometrists from the WMOA volunteered their time and services during the two day event. During the 2009-10 school year, KCHD vision technicians screened more than 46,000 children, and referred more than 6,500 of those children for complete eye exams. Many of those children did not have the resources to receive that follow up care, that’s where Dr. Kenyon and VSP came in.

Dr. Laura Kenyon, president of the West Michigan Optometric Association

Dr. Laura Kenyon, president of the West Michigan Optometric Association

“Our member doctors are more than willing to volunteer and give eye examinations to those who may not otherwise receive care,” said Dr. Kenyon. “We are excited to have the VSP mobile eye clinic traveling to Grand Rapids to support both our doctors and the members of our community most in need.” 

Here is an article and radio clip that were published yesterday regarding the event.

VSP would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Kenyon, all of our VSP doctors who volunteered, and Chris Buczek from the KCHD who helped to make this event a huge success!

Send an Eye Chart from the Easter Bunny!

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Send a touch of spring with VSP’s Easter Bunny themed eyechart!

Make your Easter Bunny themed eyechart now!

Make your Easter Bunny themed eyechart now!

VIDEO: VSP Vision Care & Transition Launch New Clinic

See all the action from the VSP Vision Care & Transitions Optical mobile eyecare clinic!

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After viewing the video, vote for the clinic name and be entered to win an HD Flip Cam!

VSP & Transitions Optical Launch New Mobile Eyecare Clinic

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!

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.

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!”

Fore Healthy Sight!

Jill N. is a member of VSP's Corporate Public Relations team

Jill N. is a member of VSP's Corporate Public Relations team

 

“Golf is an ineffectual attempt to put an elusive ball into an obscure hole with implements ill-adapted to the purpose.”  ~Woodrow Wilson

 
For the second year in a row VSP has the opportunity to participate with Transitions Optical at the 2010 Transitions Championship for Healthy Sight as part of the “Live Your Vision Pavillion” and “Healthy Sight Village.” VSP will be one of a few optical industry partners on hand providing information, education, and hands-on experiences that will include sports-vision demonstrations, golf clinics, eyewear fashion shows and health and wellness screenings.

 VSP will be included in a new “Competitive Advantage” area developed by Transitions, VSP and Nike Golf, where attendees will have the opportunity to learn how vision impacts athletic performance (I don’t know about you, but I definitely blame my eyesight, among other things, for my golf performance…), how general fitness impacts their golf swing (so you’re NOT supposed to match the number of beers to the number of strokes?), and how the latest technological innovations like performance eyewear and golf apparel can help them golf and look their best (who cares how good you are if you don’t LOOK good doing it?).

Prior to the tournament, VSP will also partner with Transitions and Prevent Blindness Florida to provide three days of charitable outreach to local Tampa children and  adults in need. After the outreach, the VSP mobile clinic will be showcased during the tournament to help educate attendees on the importance of eye health and giving back to your community.

As part of the fun leading up to the tournament, VSP conducted a sweepstakes and one lucky winner was selected to attend the tournament with three friends. Stay tuned to see the tournament through his eyes as he creates and posts a video diary of his experience.

Check out a video from last year’s event with SeeZar! YouTube Preview Image

From the Road: VSP Mobile Eyes in Monterey County, CA

Today we have a guest post from Maggie P. Magallón, a health service advisor from the Monterey County Office of Education – a recent partner of the VSP Mobile Eyes program.

For the Monterey County Office of Education’s first VSP Mobile Eyes event we were able to provide services to over 55 children and youth in need — in the future we’ll shoot for over 100!

Niki and Kim with patients and MRT Vicki Aston

VSP Mobile Clinics Operations Manager, Niki M., with a patient in his shades after his eyes were dilated.

During the three day outreach event, the clinic visited three school districts in Monterey County, including Greenfield Union, Sta. Rita Union and Salinas City Union. The young patients entered the clinic with excitement and gratitude, especially after they had the opportunity to select their frames from popular brands like Disney & Coach!

Patient with Kim and Isabel

One of the students picking out his frames with VSP Mobile Clinic Operations Managers, Kim R., and Monterey County Migrant Program partner, Isabel.

It was a pleasure partnering with the team at VSP.  Kim R., Niki M., and Vicki A. are a great team to work with, and I want to give a big  thank you to our local VSP optometrists – Dr. Sylvia Lee, Dr. Brett Fredericks, Dr. William Kadell, and Dr. Catherine Winters – who enthusiasticly volunteered their time to provide eye exams to the kids.

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VSP Volunteer, Vicki A., Dr. William Kadell, Kim R. and Niki M.

Now that the students who needed glasses will receive them, I feel they will definitely show an improvement in their language arts and math achievement this year as they can see with much more clarity and precision!

We look forward to VSP Mobile Eyes visiting our area again.  What a great service VSP offers to the community!!! 

Wow! Your head is so big! Volunteering on the VSP Mobile Clinic

One of our partners Dan McLean, at Transitions Optical shares a story about working with kids while volunteering on VSP’s mobile clinic.

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A surprise visitor during free day with VSP Vision Care!

Last week in San Francisco, Exploratorium guests were invited to peer into the science of seeing with VSP Vision Care. During an Exploratorium Free Wednesday on December 2nd, kids and families had the opportunity to tour SeeZar, one of the VSP Mobile Eyes® clinics, Ask the VSP eye doctor, Jim Winnick, all sorts of questions (which animal has a brain that weighs less then its eye?), spin a prize wheel, and participate in intriguing, eyes-on activities inspired by the Exploratorium’s Seeing exhibit collection. As if all of this wasn’t enough fun for the day, we had one more surprise in store for everyone, a visit by San Francisco’s Kyle Rose, member of the Team Type 1 professional cycling team!

Guests had the opportunity to ask questions about diabetes, cycling and receive autographs and pictures with the local star during his last appearance stateside as he prepared to move to Paris, France, where he will be racing for the 2010 season.

Kyle Rose and Jill N.

Kyle interacted with the kids…”you get to ride bikes for a job??” “Do you ride bikes with Lance Armstrong?” “I have a purple bike…but it’s broke.” “I bet you need really good eyes to see where you are going.” “Have you crashed before?” (OK, this last question was actually me. And yes, he just finished healing from a gnarly crash where he was clipped by another rider, flipped over his handlebars into a ditch and broke multiple ribs!) Read more »

Exploration Through the Eyes of Students

Jeff H. is a channel partner manager with Eyefinity®/OfficeMate®. He shares his recent volunteer experience during an educational event at the San Francisco Exploratorium with our mobile clinic, SeeZar.

Eye See with VSP at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, CAI haven’t been to the Exploratorium since my own grade school field trip.  As I stepped into the spacious, interactive museum in San Francisco during the recent Eye See: Free Day with VSP Vision Care, I was reminded what a unique educational landmark the Exploratorium is – an exhibit hall filled will hands-on experiments that are not just educational, but entertaining (for kids and adults)! Read more »