(PRESS RELEASE) DALLAS, TX — In the U.S., low-income children are more likely to suffer from undiagnosed vision problems and have a higher rate of unmet vision care needs. IT solutions company iSteer is helping to bridge the vision care gap through its support of Essilor Vision Foundation (EVF).
iSteer provides its customers with technology solutions and products derived from decades of cross-industry experience and expertise. The company is one of EVF’s newer donors and has contributed $50,000 to the foundation since 2019. Sanjay Kommera, iSteer senior vice president of Technology says, “iSteer is privileged to donate to EVF. We are honored to be a part of the noble cause of giving children the ability to see clearly and empowering them to reach their full potential.”
Untreated vision problems can negatively affect kids’ educational achievement. iSteer’s contributions support EVF’s initiatives to help all children have vision such as Kids Vision for Life (KVFL). KVFL brings vision services to low-income children at no cost to the family through mobile clinics at schools and community events. Each mobile clinic provides on-site vision exams and glasses. To maintain safety protocols during COVID-19, glasses are cut and edged after the clinics and are distributed within a week of the event.
iSteer’s donations also enable EVF to educate parents and kids about the importance of clear vision through the school-based Champions for Sight program. Teachers and school nurses are often the first adults to recognize that a child may have a vision problem, and EVF supports their commitment by providing free educational resources to use in the classroom and at home.
“Essilor Vision Foundation refers to vision impairment as an invisible problem because, unlike hunger or tooth decay, children often don’t know they can’t see clearly. To them, blurry eyesight is normal,” says Becky Palm, president and executive director of EVF. “The good news is 80 percent of all vision impairment can be treated or cured, often with a pair of eyeglasses, and with iSteer’s support, we can continue to ensure that kids across the U.S. get the vision care they need to succeed in school and in life.”
Visit www.evfusa.org to learn more about how EVF and its donors are working to bring vision services to those who need it the most.