Visionworks Program Gives Gift Of Sight To Kids

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Giving children the gift of sight is the purpose a new nationwide program launched by Visionworks.

Children across the country are boarding buses and heading back to school. This year, thousands of those kids will be able to see the board better thanks to a program called, "Let's Go See."

"The real emphasis of it is to raise awareness around the need for annual eye exams for every child, every child, every year," Visionworks President Jim Eisen said.

Eisen said children need eye exams as much as they need annual physicals and dental checkups.

He said 60 percent of children with learning difficulties have an undetected vision problem.

"Eighty percent of what they learn is through their eyes, so it's very, very critical. It affects their self-esteem, it affects their academics and it affects their ability in sports and things like that," Eisen said.

Because of those statistics, Visionworks launched a program to help.

The company will hand out 10,000 vouchers good for a free eye exam and glasses to kids who don't have vision insurance.

"Anybody can nominate an individual, they can nominate a group, a class and school, whatever the case may be, but we're looking for those children at risk, those that don't have the means to get the glasses that they need and that's where we step in," he said.

Eisen said he hopes to continue and grow the program to give the gift of 20/20 vision to more and more kids.

"I feel very fortunate for our company to be in a position where we can have such a positive impact on young people's lives. It means a lot to us as an organization. It ties in with our core values around people. So it's just very grateful and humbling to be able to do something like this," he said.

For more information about the program, visit their website.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter