(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK, NY — Each summer, the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation joins The Fresh Air Fund to provide free eye exams and glasses to summer campers who may otherwise lack access to the vision care they need. The Fresh Air Fund provides free outdoor summer camp experiences to children from New York City’s underserved communities, having served 1.8 million children since it began in 1877. The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation and The Fresh Air Fund have been working together for 17 years to make sure campers have access to clear sight. Hosting these vision clinics in July and August each year provides the perfect footing to prepare kids with the glasses they need to start the next school year strong. With the ‘back-to-school’ season top of mind for students and parents in August, it is an important moment to observe National Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. So far this summer, over 600 campers have received vision care, with additional clinics scheduled in August. Out of the patients seen, 91% needed prescription glasses.
One in four schoolchildren in the United States has an undetected and untreated vision impairment. “We know that providing access to vision care to children builds their self-confidence, sets them up for academic success, and allows them to reach their fullest potential,” shared Becky Palm, executive director, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation North America. “Our long-held partnership with The Fresh Air Fund provides such a timely opportunity to invest in kids’ vision during National Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month before they start school each year,” she added.
Employees from across EssilorLuxottica volunteer their time each summer to ensure kids in New York leave their summer camp experience with clear sight. This year, Pearle Vision, Target Optical and FGX helped fund these impactful vision clinics.
Learn more about the work of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation by visiting here.
