New Vision Program offers free eye exams and glasses for 3,000 children
March 10, 2016
Starting March 14, gift certificates for free eye exams and glasses will be donated to 3,000 families in Richland One thanks to a partnership between the district, Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF) and VSP Vision Care.
Parents who would like to receive a free vision gift certificate should contact their child’s school nurse or the Richland One Office of Instructional Technology Services at 231-6803. Each child in a family (ages 1-19) is eligible to receive a gift certificate.
Parents can use the gift certificates at any vision provider in the VSP network, which includes companies such as Drs. Eye Care, Inc. and H. Rubin Vision Centers. A complete list of providers is available at district schools and at www.vsp.com . The certificate, which is valid until November 1, covers eye exams and a selection of basic eyewear chosen by the provider.
It is estimated that 20 percent of children struggle to read because of vision problems. Ida Thompson, Richland One’s director of Instructional Technology Services who is helping to coordinate the project, believes the new vision program will help children be better learners.
“The better children can see, the better they can read and learn,” said Thompson.” We are so thankful to VSP for making no-cost eye exams and eyewear available to eligible students in our district. Thousands of students will benefit greatly from these products and services, maximizing their potential and educational experience.”
The donations are made possible through VSP Vision Care, which launched the #EyeGiveBack program in 2015 in an effort to help children in need see better. For every VSP Direct individual vision insurance plan purchased through #EyeGiveBack, VSP committed to donating a gift certificate that provides access to a no-cost eye exam and glasses to a child in need, up to $1 million in retail value. VSP is a charity partner with RIF, which selected Richland One as the national recipient of the program.
More details are available at this link: VSPDirect.com/EyeGiveBack.
