(PRESS RELEASE) DALLAS, TX — It’s estimated that 25 million schoolchildren did not get a vision screening last year, and as result, many may have developed new or worsening vision problems. To help bring vision care to more children, Essilor Vision Foundation (EVF ) is supporting Lions KidSight USA’s Project SEE CLEARLY 2021, a nationwide back-to-school vision screening campaign.
Project SEE CLEARLY 2021 runs from August 15 through December 31, 2021. The campaign’s goal is to clear up the national backlog of children needing vision screening and vision correction that built up in 2020. Lions KidSight USA’s target is to screen one million children at schools and daycare centers throughout the country by Halloween to ensure a good, early start to the school year ahead and to help the organization get back on track to screening the nearly two million children it has been screening annually. EVF encourages participating ODs to enroll in the foundation’s Changing Life through Lenses program which provides a free pair of glasses including lenses, frame and lab services, when an eye doctor gives a vision exam to a patient in need.
“We know that many people continue to face financial uncertainty and need help covering basic expenses such as medical care,” says Becky Palm, EVF President and Executive Director. “That is why we are proud to work with Lions KidSight USA to roll out Project SEE CLEARLY 2021. Both organizations are focused on ensuring that all children have the clear vision they need to reach their full potential.”
EVF is also dedicated to supporting ODs who are giving back and has committed $250,000 to assist with their efforts through the Changing Life through Lenses (CLTL) Relief Fund campaign. Eye doctors who enroll and provide vision services to eligible charitable patients* can receive up to $1,500. To qualify for funding, ODs must register for Changing Life through Lenses or already have an account. The CLTL Relief Fund is available through December 31, 2021.
“Fifty-five million students had to contend with full or partial school closures in 2020, which means they spent more time online than before the pandemic. Just how many more children now strain to see clearly and are struggling to learn? We just don’t know, and that’s the problem,” says Dr. Edward V. Cordes, Past International Director, Lions Clubs International and Chair, Lions KidSight USA Foundation. “These children urgently need to be identified and helped to ensure early and successful treatment. With EVF’s support, we can help our country’s children see a brighter future in 2021 and beyond.”