NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North America’s premier network of private-practice optometrists, Vision Source®, is creating more 20/20 vision in 2020 with a mobile vision clinic tour of 13 major US cities to raise awareness on the importance of an annual comprehensive eye exam. Vision Source doctors and staff will provide free exams and corrective eyewear to families across the country, who do not have access to vision care.
A 2019 Vision Source study of 1,000 U.S. consumers found that more than 50% had issues with their vision in the past year, and 34% did not go for a professional eye exam. The major barriers to having an annual eye exam included not thinking they needed one (33%), unsure of where to go (25%), lack of insurance, (22%) and expense (22%).
Comprehensive eye exams are key to overall wellness and preserving a high quality of life. In addition to evaluating vision, annual eye exams can detect serious health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, and even cancer.
“We have a unique opportunity in 2020 to raise awareness about the critical importance of eye health,” Vision Source Chief Medical Officer Dr. Amir Khoshnevis said. “Most people think about how important their vision is and how difficult school, work, or just everyday living would be if you could not see well. The correct glasses or contact lenses are just the starting point,” he said. “When we examine the eye, we see so much more than just your vision. For example, we directly evaluate exposed blood vessels, allowing us to identify concerns for hypertension, diabetes and much more.”
At age 19, Rosa Yohannes suffered from regular headaches and was diagnosed by her Vision Source optometrist with anaplastic oligodendroglioma, a rare grade three tumor, just as she was graduating high school and working to save up for college.
“I thought I was going to live the rest of my life with really awful migraines,” Yohannes said. “By mentioning this ongoing symptom to my doctor during my annual eye exam, she helped me uncover that a brain tumor was the root of my migraines. After surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, I’m happy to say that I’m cancer-free and am so thankful for the eye exam and the wonderful team of optometrists and physicians who saved my life.”
The tour will kick off this week in Charlotte, North Carolina, and continue in the following cities (listed alphabetically) through the summer:
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Chicago, Illinois
- Dallas, Texas
- Denver, Colorado
- Houston, Texas
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Los Angeles, California
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Seattle, Washington
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Washington, District of Columbia
The events will be staffed by locally licensed doctors within the Vision Source network and equipped to support all aspects of a comprehensive eye exam. This includes visual acuity, refraction, eye pressure, anterior segment and retinal health evaluations. One example of the clinical state-of-the-art equipment to be used is the Optos retinal image scanner, which delivers a 200-degree image of the retina in half a second, allowing an ultra-widefield view for doctors to easily detect early signs of retinal disease and other potentially life-threatening conditions.
For more information about Vision Source, visit visionsource.com, and for details about the mobile vision clinic tour and dates, visit visionsource2020.com
About Vision Source
Founded in 1991, Vision Source is North America's most extensive network of independent optometrists consisting of over 4,500 optometrists. The clinicians in the Vision Source network enjoy access to newly evolving patient channels, including an expanding list of leading medical groups and integrated health systems with whom Vision Source optometrists collaborate. Additionally, members benefit from a wide range of innovative technologies, practice management tools, strategic marketing, and purchasing power. Leveraging these tools, the clinicians offer comprehensive eye care to their patients delivering an industry-leading patient experience. For more information, call 888-558-2020 or visit visionsource.com.
CONTACT:
Julianna Monacelli, Public Relations Director, Dixon Schwabl
C: 617-571-5569 O: 585-899-3227
julianna_monacelli@dixonschwabl.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1ad9a6b1-4207-4851-ae5d-daf36aab9f06