Share with a friendEyeCare America Joins the National Eye Institute’s
Effort to Protect Children’s Vision
Non-profit Provides Free Children’s Eye Health Information in Honor of
May’s Healthy Vision Month
May 12, 2008 – San Francisco, CA - The National Eye Institute and EyeCare America both believe that protecting vision should be a matter attended to all year long. This year the two national non-profit organizations are working together on a campaign designed to educate and inform parents on the best way to tend to the precious sight of their children.
This May during Healthy Vision Month, the National Eye Institute is working to raise awareness about the importance of children using protective eyewear in order to protect their vision. For its part in the campaign, EyeCare America is reminding parents that protecting their child’s eye sight should begin when they are newborns.
Most children have healthy, normal eyes, but a few are born with serious eye diseases or disorders, some of which may not be obvious. In most cases, these problems can be identified—and treated—even during the first few days of life. But without an eye screening, usually before the age of five, a child with an untreated eye problem may suffer from serious vision loss, or even blindness.
EyeCare America’s Children's EyeCare Program is designed to educate parents on how to recognize the symptoms of eye diseases and disorders in their children between newborn and 36 months of age. The program encourages parents who think their child has a vision or eye problem to have their child's eyes examined by their pediatrician, family physician or, if necessary, by an ophthalmologist.
Every child, even those without noticeable eye problems, should have a vision screening and/or eye examination before his or her fifth birthday.
For more information on EyeCare America’s Children’s EyeCare Program and to get a free children’s eye health brochure call our toll-free help line 1-800-628-6733. The phones are open
8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday, Pacific Time. Or, visit www.eyecareamerica.org
About EyeCare America
Established in 1985, EyeCare America, the public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is committed to the preservation of sight, accomplishing its mission through public service and education. EyeCare America provides eye care services to the medically underserved and for those at increased risk for eye disease through its corps of 7,000 volunteer ophthalmologists dedicated to serving their communities. More than 90 percent of the care made available is provided at no out-of-pocket cost to the patients. EyeCare America includes programs for seniors, glaucoma, diabetes, AMD and children, and is the largest program of its kind in American medicine. Since its inception, EyeCare America has helped nearly 1 million people. EyeCare America is a non-profit program whose success is made possible through charitable contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations. More information can be found at: www.eyecareamerica.org
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MEDIA CONTACT: Lauren Vance, Communications Specialist for EyeCare America – 415.447-0284, lvance@aao.org
NOTE TO EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: High-resolution images and interviews with EyeCare America spokespeople, physicians and patients available upon request
