Posts Tagged ‘children’
Posted on November 12th, 2010 by Liz B.
Stuart Tasman, O.D. is a VSP Provider in Kennesaw, GA.
Today’s guest blog post is from Stuart Tasman O.D, a VSP provider in Georgia who recently partnered with the VSP at the Woodstock Baptist Church Health Fair.
I was asked to participate in a health fair in October at the Woodstock Baptist Church. As I walked through this massive church I couldn’t believe the amount of people that were there for services. I would estimate that well over 1000 men, women and children were there to see the doctors and volunteers that were there for 3 days to treat their every need.
I heard from the people that I examined, they had arrived at 1 a.m. to get in line to see the medical doctors, dentists and eye doctors. I know for a fact that we turned people away at the end of every day due to lack of time.* I saw so much eye disease that had gone untreated due to lack of insurance and, of course money.
Later, at the office we treated one of the gentlemen that I had seen at the event for glaucoma. His intraocular pressures were approximately 40 in his right eye with definite loss of field of vision. I prescribed Lumigan and instructed him in my broken Spanish to see me in 3 weeks. He has no insurance and his finances barely cover a roof over his head and put groceries on the table. Suffice it to say we will not charge him but I have been haunted by the amount of people in trouble out there.
Who is going to care for them? We all want to give back and be good stewards but do we draw a line? When do we draw a line?
My father told us many stories of the depression era and one that I have never forgotten was about his grandfather. He had very little money, but did run a small grocery store. People would come in to get food with no money. My dad asked him “How come you give food to these people without money?”
He responded, ” We should always give to those with less than we have.”
My question to you is should we follow my great grandfathers advise? Just a thought.
Stuart Tasman
*Editor’s note: All patients who were unable to be seen – more than 350 – were given gift certificates to visit a local VSP doctor or referred to the Georgia Lighthouse Lions for comprehensive eyecare services, including eyewear.
File under: VSP in the Community | Tagged: charitable eyecare, children, eye exams, eyecare, eyewear, private practice eye doctors, VSP Mobile Eyes, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on November 1st, 2010 by Lisa P.
VSP worked with Momlogic.com, a premier destination for mothers online, to promote the importance of eye exams in children. Momlogic hosted a contest on their website for one lucky reader to win $1,000 for their child’s school.
Often times vision issues are misdiagnosed as learning disabilities and with one in four school-aged children having an undetected eye problem, experts recommend they get an annual eye exam as early as 6 months. Find out more about how eye exams can help children succeed in the classroom.
File under: Contests, eye health, Fun | Tagged: children, classrooms, eye exams, eye problems, learning disabilities, momlogic, momlogic.com, mommy bloggers, moms, VSP, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on September 28th, 2010 by Liz B.
Joel Kestenbaum O.D. is a VSP provider in Long Island, NY.
VSP Blog regular Dr. Joel Kestenbaum is back with a post on the start of flu season and how our eyes can give us an early warning signs to help minimize infection.
Here we are again in the beginning of flu season. Our body is achy. We are tired and irritable. Our throat hurts and nose is running and we are probably coughing too. We have a fever, our stomach is upset and we have a terrible headache. Each sign or symptom can indicate a different diagnosis. For instance, children can get an upset stomach with the common flu, but this symptom is rare in adults.
Sometimes, our eyes give signs which are an early indication of a cold or flu. These signs include watery, red and irritated eyes. Sometimes these can be allergy symptoms. Sometimes these symptoms can be an early indicator of diabetes or thyroid disease. But how do you know? You may not be able to tell the difference but your eye doctor would know. Subtle signs in the eyes can be a dead giveaway to a trained optometrist. Small blisters or follicles develop on the inside of the lid that could indicate early signs of a virus. The cornea can have small translucent grayish cells that indicate a virus as well. These can only be seen with a specialty microscope called a slit lamp which is standard equipment in any eye doctor’s office but is never available in a pediatric or internists office.
The outbreak of H1N1 in 2009 caused many vaccine experts to determine that individuals six months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year. Since different strains of influenza occur each year, it is possible for people to contract the flu more than once.
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File under: eye health | Tagged: allergy symptoms, children, flu, flu symptoms, H1N1, irritated eyes, red eyes, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on August 11th, 2010 by Lisa P.
In 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.
@CleverGayle – When 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.
@msmorev – I’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!
File under: CVS, diabetes, eye health | Tagged: #BlogHer10, 20 20 20 Rule, @CleverGayle, @msmorev, @toonces1989, BlogHer, BlogHer 2010, children, dilate, dilation, eye exams, eyecare, eyewear, VSP, VSP Vision Care, VSPVisionCare
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Posted on June 10th, 2010 by Jill N
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
“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!
File under: VSP in the Community | Tagged: charitable eyecare, children, eye exams, VSP Mobile Eyes
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Posted on March 26th, 2010 by Liz B.
Send a touch of spring with VSP’s Easter Bunny themed eyechart!
Make your Easter Bunny themed eyechart now!
File under: Fun | Tagged: children, easter, easter bunny, easter eggs, easter fun, easter games activities, eye chart, eyecare, facebook app, fun facebook app, VSP Facebook, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on March 18th, 2010 by Liz B.
See all the action from the VSP Vision Care & Transitions Optical mobile eyecare clinic!
After viewing the video, vote for the clinic name and be entered to win an HD Flip Cam!
File under: Contests, Fun, VSP in the Community | Tagged: 2010 Transitions Championship for Healthy Site, charitable eyecare, children, eye exams, eye health, eyecare, eyecare videos, eyeglasses, eyewear, glasses, kids' glasses, private practice eye doctors, Transitions, Transitions Optical, Video, vision benefits, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on March 16th, 2010 by Liz B.
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!”
File under: VSP in the Community | Tagged: charitable eyecare, children, eye exams, eye health, eyecare, eyewear, glasses, kids, kids' glasses, lenses, private practice eye doctors, Sight for Students, Transitions, VSP Mobile Eyes, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on March 10th, 2010 by Jill N
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! 
File under: Fun, VSP in the Community | Tagged: 2010 Transitions Championship for Healthy Site, charitable eyecare, children, competitive advantage, eye health, eyewear, fashion show, FL, golf apparel, golf clinics, Golf Quotes, health screenings, Innsibrook Resort, Nike Golf, performance eyewear, PGA Tournament, President Woodrow Wilson, Prevent Blindness Florida, Sports-Vision demonstration, sweepstakes, Tampa, Transitions, Transitions Optical, vision and athletic performance, VSP Vision Care, wellness screenings, Woodrow Wilson
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Posted on January 20th, 2010 by Kim R.
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!
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!
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.
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!!!
File under: VSP in the Community | Tagged: CA, charitable eyecare, children, Dr. Brett Fredericks, Dr. Catherine Winters, Dr. Sylvia Lee, Dr. William Kadell, eye exam, eyecare, frame, glasses, kids' glasses, Monterey County, Monterey County Office of Education, private practice eye doctors, Salinas, VSP Mobile Eyes, VSP Vision Care
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