Press Releases


Sight For Students® Helps Children See Clearly

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA, January, 2002 - More than 57,000 kids across the country will do better in school this year thanks to a program that provides free eye exams and free eyewear to young children.

Sight for Students is the national charity of VSP (Vision Service Plan), the nation's largest provider of eye care wellness benefits. VSP donated more than 9 million dollars to provide free eye care services through Sight for Students in 2001 and has contributed more than 20 million dollars since the program's inception in 1997. The number of children helped in 2001 increased by 60-percent from 2000.

"Sight for Students makes a significant difference for children who often lack access to many of the tools they need to be successful," said Roger Valine, President and CEO of VSP. "The children we help through Sight for Students lack access to professional eye care services. The gift of proper vision helps these children improve their academic performance and can even help them gain self esteem."

The Sight for Students program partners with non-profit organizations as Head Start, Prevent Blindness America and the National Association of School Nurses to identify low-income, uninsured children with eye problems. These children are then given free comprehensive eye exams by VSP doctors, and free eyeglasses if needed.

VSP launched Sight for Students in 1997 as part of its commitment to "America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth," a national program founded by Ret. Gen. Colin Powell to improve the lives of America's young people.