VSP Global and U.S. Conference of Mayors Partner for Second Year to Provide Access to Eye Care to Communities in Need

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., March 30, 2017 /3BL Media/- San Francisco resident Mounir Ebdellaoi has depended on his glasses to see since age 14. Ebdellaoi lives in one of the city’s most distressed neighborhoods and was recently mugged and his eyewear was destroyed in the altercation. “You don’t know what it’s like not to see,” Ebdellaoi explained. “I could not function without glasses, psychologically even, not just crossing the street and all that, but you just don’t feel the same. You’ve got to be able to see.”

Ebdellaoi received what would’ve otherwise been out of reach for him – a comprehensive eye exam and new glasses at no cost to Ebdellaoi, made possible last year through a pilot partnership between the U.S. Conference of Mayors and VSP Global. For the second year in a row, the two organizations are teaming up to bring access to eye care and eyewear to people like Ebdellaoi who need it the most. This year, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and VSP will identify five cities which VSP’s mobile eye care clinics will visit in outreach events where qualifying adults and children will receive no-cost comprehensive eye exams from a local VSP member optometrist, and prescription eyewear if needed.

“Thanks to the tireless dedication and generosity of VSP member optometrists many more thousands of people will receive the eye care they need in order to live a more confident, productive, and fuller life,” said Jim McGrann, President and CEO of VSP Global.

More than 45 million households in the U.S. don’t have access to vision insurance. Without glasses, adults might have a harder time filling out job applications, performing in the workplace, and other everyday tasks. Healthy vision is essential to a child’s ability to learn and achieve their academic potential, as well as to play sports and other activities.

Easily remedied vision issues can impact a child’s sight for life if not caught early on. Currently, one in four children in kindergarten through sixth grade has an undetected vision problem.

“Mayors share a responsibility for the health and well-being of their communities, which includes ensuring residents have access to vital health care services like vision care,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director, U. S. Conference of Mayors. “We witnessed the impact we were able to have in partnership with VSP and local VSP member optometrists in communities in need and are excited to be able to continue to fulfill that civic duty while making a difference in people’s lives.”

About VSP Global
As a doctor-directed company, VSP Global® exists to create value for members and opportunities for VSP member eye doctors. VSP Global’s complementary businesses include VSP® Vision Care, the only national not-for-profit vision benefits company, which provides access to eye care for its 83 million members through a network of 37,000 member eye doctors; Marchon® Eyewear, Inc., one of the world’s largest designers, manufacturers and distributors of high quality eyewear and sunwear; VSP Optics Group, industry leaders in ophthalmic technology and lab services,  providing custom lens solutions for the vision and lifestyle needs of patients; Eyefinity®, the eye care industry’s largest electronic health records and practice management software company, and VSP Omni-Channel Solutions, which creates connected consumer experiences designed to strengthen the relationship between VSP members and their eye doctors. To date, VSP member eye doctors have provided eye exams and eyewear at no-cost to over a million people in need through a partnership with VSP Global’s Eyes of Hope®.