Visionworks and Davis Vision Take Chicago Public School's Students to the Eye Doctor

Let's Go See Initiative Committed to Providing up to 4,000 Free Eye Exams and Glasses to Children in Need

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Sep 28, 2016, 08:00 ET

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Visionworks and Davis Vision are kicking off the 2016-17 back-to-school season by providing up to 4,000 free eye exams and glasses to Chicago Public School's (CPS) students through their Let's Go See initiative. Additionally, Visionworks is purchasing passes from the Chicago Transit Authority to ensure CPS families have transportation to and from their eye exams.

"We're proud to partner with the third largest school district in the country to provide students with the eye care they need," said Jim Eisen, president and CEO of HVHC Inc. and president of Visionworks. "When a parent posted on our Facebook page about the need in the Chicago area, we immediately took action to coordinate efforts. Social media has been a powerful tool in raising awareness of the importance of annual eye exams, as well as connecting us with children who are in need of eye care across the country."

More than 600 schools make up the Chicago Public School system, and 86% of its 400,000 students are categorized as low income. Each year, approximately 175,000 students receive vision screenings. "Visionworks hopes to help fill the gap for students who do not have access to vision resources through the Let's Go See initiative," added Eisen. Reports show that about 60% of students who have difficulty learning have some sort of undetected vision problem.

"We are grateful for Visionworks' support through Let's Go See. We work diligently every day to ensure our students have the tools they need to be successful in school, and a comprehensive eye exam and eyeglasses should be a right, not a privilege," said Katheryn Stafford-Hudson, MPA, OSHW Specialist for Chicago Public Schools. "Since vision correction in children can lead to successful academic performance, self-confidence, and quality of life, we strive to remove barriers and provide access to vision services for all Chicago Public School students." Chicago Public Schools will work with teachers, nurses and coaches to identify students in need of vision care and provide Let's Go See vouchers.

Through this public awareness platform, Visionworks and Davis Vision are not only working to educate the general public about the importance of eye exams, they also need the public's help in nominating children or organizations in need, like CPS. Those who have the means to get their children's eyes examined, can do so by visiting www.visionworks.com to find their nearest location. To learn more about Let's Go See, visit letsgosee.net.

About Visionworks

Visionworks is a leading provider of eye care services with more than 700 optical retail stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia. Visionworks is committed to providing our customers with an excellent shopping experience and high quality products and services with the best value and selection in the industry. All of our stores offer famous fashion brands and our own exclusive brand frames, lenses, sunglasses and accessories along with leading technology in vision correction. Our comprehensive service offerings include contact lens dispensing, in-store labs which provide one-hour service on many prescriptions at many locations and doctors of optometry at or next to every store. Visionworks also sells contact lenses online at visionworkscontacts.com. Visionworks is a wholly owned subsidiary of HVHC, Inc. For more information about Visionworks, visit www.visionworks.com.

About Davis Vision

Davis Vision's unique benefit structure through its state-of-the art labs, comprehensive provider network, key retail partnerships and exclusive collection of frames is why they are trusted by over 22 million members. Davis Vision members have access to a nationwide provider network of optometrists, ophthalmologists and dispensing locations at more than 55,000 points of access across the U.S. For more information about Davis Vision, visit www.DavisVision.com.

All trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners.

Images from the Let's Go See website are available. Please let us know if you'd like hi-res versions. We also have access to a handful of children's testimonials that we'd be happy to share. They're featured on our website (www.letsgosee.net).

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SOURCE Visionworks