ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Vision Health Alliance, The Vision Council’s new consumer education initiative that champions eye health as an important part of overall health and eye health exams as essential components of health care, today announced several events planned in conjunction with Vision Expo West 2021, taking place September 22-25 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas. In partnership with EyeCare4Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to providing professional eyecare to low-income, visually-impaired children and underserved families, Vision Health Alliance will provide valuable resources to local Southern Nevada schools, addressing eyecare issues for students.

Together, Vision Health Alliance and EyeCare4Kids will conduct a mobile eyecare clinic at a local, Las Vegas-area elementary school; assemble 500 emergency eyecare kits at Vision Health Alliance’s booth at Vision Expo West; and host a panel discussion at The Seen, Vision Expo West’s main stage destination dedicated to collaborative learning, about the importance of early access to routine, comprehensive eye exams as part of a child’s developmental and educational success. 
 
“We’re thrilled to introduce Vision Health Alliance to the vision care community at Vision Expo West through impactful events and insightful discussions,” said Jane Balek, executive director of the organization. “We know that, undiagnosed, vision issues can have an enormous impact on a child’s social, motor, cognitive and academic achievement. We also know that with timely diagnosis and treatment, many issues are correctable. The activities we’ve planned are designed not only to help increase access to care locally but to encourage meaningful discussion about making eyecare part of one’s overall health care plan.”
 
“We’re excited to be working with the Vision Health Alliance,” said Stephanie Kirby, executive director of EyeCare4Kids in Southern Nevada. “Together, we’ll be providing critical vision screenings and eye exams to children who may otherwise not have routine access to eyecare. This is a great example of how leaders in the vision community can come together to help address access and equity in health care through strategic partnerships and investment.”  
 
More information on the events planned is included below. 
 
Emergency EyeCare Kit Assembly
Thursday, September 23, 9:30  – 11:30 a.m. PT, VEW floor, VC/VHA Booth # P22104

Volunteers from Vision Health Alliance, The Vision Council and EyeCare4Kids will work together to assemble 500 emergency eyecare kits to be distributed to those in need across Nevada. Each kit will contain contact lens cases, lens care cleaners, eye wash, spectacle repair tools, polishing cloth, and wipes. Hilco Vision will provide the supplies needed to make the critical kits.
 
Vision Health Alliance will donate all of the kits through EyeCare4Kids, which will distribute them to the partner providers across the state.
 
Members of the vision care community are invited to stop by the booth in the morning to help assemble a kit and learn more about Vision Health Alliance and EyeCare4Kids. 
 
Mobile Eyecare Clinic and Press Conference
Thursday, September 23, 1:00 p.m. PT
Dr. Owen C. Roundy Elementary School, 2755 Mohawk St, Las Vegas, NV 89146
 
Vision Health Alliance and EyeCare4Kids will host a mobile eyecare clinic and press conference at Roundy Elementary, part of the Clark County School District and one of dozens of schools where EyeCare4Kids provides critical access to eyecare services. At the clinic, children will receive a vision screening and eye exam. If it is determined that a child needs eyeglasses based on the results of the screening, he or she will have the opportunity to select an eyeglass frame, and eyeglasses will be ordered for him or her.
 
In conjunction with the mobile clinic, a press conference will also take place at 1:00 p.m., featuring members of the Clark County School District and the Nevada Optometric Association, who will address increasing access to eyecare and the benefits of prioritizing eye health. Two special guests will also make an appearance—the popular WNBA mascot, “Buckets” and “SeeMore” Bear of EyeCare4Kids.  
 
The Seen Panel Discussion
Better Access, Brighter Futures: Increasing Access to Early Eye Exams & Prioritizing Eye Health in Preventive Healthcare
Friday, September 24, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. PT, VEW Floor, The Seen
 
This timely panel discussion will focus on making eyecare an essential part of overall preventive health care planning.
 
Panelists include: Jane Balek, Vision Health Alliance, executive director; representatives from the Nevada Optometric Association; Joseph Carbone, board certified optician, president and CEO of EyeCare4Kids; and John Lakey, gobal head of marketing from Hilco Vision.
 
The Vision Health Alliance is a program of the Better Vision Institute, the related educational foundation of The Vision Council, Vision Health Alliance serves as a multi-faceted consumer education initiative, featuring a new consumer education campaign and supported by strategic professional and industry partnerships and a robust digital marketing effort.
 
EyeCare4Kids provides professional eyecare to low-income, visually-impaired children and  underserved families. The organization has helped more than 400,000 children receive professional eye exams, vision screenings and glasses, when needed.