Thousands of Students Receive Free Vision Screenings by EyeMed Vision Care, Luxottica Employees

MASON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

As many as 94 percent of children with reading problems have reduced visual skills that can impede their ability to do well in school, according to the American Optometric Association. This school year, more than 200 EyeMed Vision Care associates participated in Cycle of Sight, a charitable program that partners with schools in greater Cincinnati to provide free vision screenings, exams and new glasses to children in need. Cycle of Sight is a program of OneSight^®, a family of charitable programs dedicated to improving vision for those in need globally and across the United States. EyeMed Vision Care is part of Luxottica S.p.A. LUX.

This year, EyeMed and fellow Luxottica employees screened 26,000 students in more than 100 area schools in the Cincinnati tri-state region. Subsequently, more than 1,400 students from Cincinnati Public, Northern Kentucky, Mt. Healthy, North College Hill, Reading, New Miami and Catholic-Inner-City Schools who failed their screening, received full vision exams and new eyewear at the OneSight Optical Clinic held at the Cincinnati Museum Center -- all free of charge.

“Each year our associates generously volunteer to organize and conduct these screenings and volunteer at the OneSight Clinic as a natural extension of EyeMed's focus on providing vision wellness,” said Liz DiGiandomenico, president of EyeMed Vision Care. “Cycle of Sight offers us the opportunity to fulfill our commitment to OneSight and to serve people in need.”

Hallie Montague, EyeMed senior marketing manager, has participated in Cycle of Sight for the past 12 years. “Being a volunteer is both personally worthwhile and fun. It would be heart-breaking to let kids with poor vision slip through the cracks at the most important time of their lives when they're learning so much. I'll definitely continue to volunteer in the future."

In total, the Cincinnati One Sight Optical Clinic volunteers included 300 local doctors and associates of EyeMed Vision Care, Luxottica's Mason headquarters, and retail brands including LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Target Optical and ILORI. The Clinic was also generously supported by several community partners including Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, and The Charles H. Dater Foundation.

OneSight also partnered with the Cincinnati Museum Center to host the Clinic for the fourth consecutive year. As part of their Clinic experience, students had the opportunity to learn through educational programming set up by Museum Center staff, as well as attend other Museum Center attractions.

OneSight has been serving the Greater Cincinnati area since 1998. Over the past 13 years, more than 45,000 Greater Cincinnati children have received free eye care from OneSight and nearly 89 percent of these children required and received free prescription eyewear.

About OneSight

OneSight, a Luxottica Foundation and a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, is a family of charitable programs dedicated to improving vision for those in need worldwide through outreach, research and education. OneSight's outreach programs include the hand-delivery of vision care and eyewear to those in need. Since 1988, OneSight outreach efforts have helped more than eight million people around the world see more clearly. OneSight also supports research and education, granting more than $6 million towards vision preservation and thousands of dollars in scholarships to students pursuing a degree in Optometry. Luxottica (a global leader in eyewear manufacturing, distribution and retail) employees, Luxottica-affiliated and independent doctors, vendors, donors and other charitable partners worldwide, work together to give the gift of sight to those in need. Luxottica provides inspiration for OneSight and is the foundation's main sponsor. For more information, visit www.onesight.org.

About EyeMed Vision Care

Mason, Ohio-based EyeMed Vision Care, part of Luxottica S.p.A. LUX, is one of the nation's leading vision benefits organizations with more than 32 million funded members through 8,600 employers and healthcare companies across the United States. In addition, EyeMed supports vision discount programs for some of the nation's largest membership and managed care organizations, reaching over 100 million discount members.

Innovation, choice and convenience drives EyeMed's commitment to eye health and vision wellness as it works with its plan sponsors to incorporate vision as part of an overall healthcare benefits program. EyeMed members have access to thousands of private practice and retail-affiliated doctors and dispensing locations nationwide.