MASON, Ohio— EyeMed Vision Care, one of the leading managed vision care plans in the U.S. and a division of Luxottica Group, (NYSE:LUX) announced last week the expansion of its charitable sponsorship of OneSight’s 2014 Vision Van Program.

OneSight, a public nonprofit organization that has been providing eyecare and eyewear to more than 8.5 million people in underserved communities worldwide since 1988, launched its Vision Van program 17 years ago to expand access to vision care in remote locations throughout the U.S. In 2014, the Vision Van program, powered by EyeMed, will provide free vision care and eyewear to thousands of students across 15 states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Utah and Wisconsin.

“Of 309 million Americans living in the U.S., only 130 million have vision care benefits,” explained EyeMed’s new president, Lukas Ruecker, whose promotion was announced in VMail Nov. 15, 2013. “That means that almost 60 percent of Americans, including children, do not have access to vision benefits. The Vision Van program helps fill the gap for pediatric vision care that employer and government-sponsored benefits, as well as individual plans, do not.”

During Vision Van Clinics, students receive a comprehensive eye exam onboard EyeLeen, OneSight’s state-of-the-art mobile vision center equipped with two exam lanes and staffed by doctors, opticians and lab technicians volunteering from LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Target Optical or other local providers. Local EyeMed associates, clients and partners also volunteer aboard the clinic. Most prescriptions can be manufactured onboard.

“We believe all people deserve access to quality vision care to see life to the fullest. That’s why our work with OneSight is so important to who we are and what we stand for,” said Ruecker. “EyeMed supported the creation of OneSight’s EyeLeen Vision Van in 2011, and together we’ve already traveled 40,000 miles to serve 7,600 students in 21 states. We’re eager to expand our support and hit the road in 2014 to help thousands more students in need.”