When I was in middle school, I struggled through 6th grade. I had all the common signs of vision problems include squinting, head tilting, avoiding “close work,” trouble focusing, continuous rubbing of eyes, and headaches. I had teachers who wouldn't move me forward when I said that I couldn't see the board because then other children in the class would try and say they couldn't see it either, so it was causing too much chaos. When I went into 7th grade my mom took me to the eye doctor for the first time. My mom is legally blind without her glasses and has been wearing them since she was nine months old. I remember the entire process of getting glasses. My mom had okay insurance that did provide an eye exam and a pair of glasses, but we were lucky. This year, 15 million kids will go back to school with undiagnosed vision problems. That's 1 in 4 children who has an undetected vision condition that can negatively impact learning.
Cute picture of my mom when she was young.
As the only national not-for-profit in vision care, VSP reinvests in the things its nearly 60 million members value most – the best care at the lowest out-of-pocket costs. With a network of 30,000 doctors and highest credentialing requirements, VSP members have the freedom to choose the provider, location, and eyewear that’s right for them. It’s easy to see why VSP is consumers’ #1 choice in vision care.
VSP Vision Care actively seeks opportunities to increase access to quality eye care and eye wear, such as partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters. VSP developed the “Clicks for Kids” campaign to generate awareness about the importance of healthy vision for children to learn and succeed. When you Click for Kids, VSP Vision Care will donate a gift certificate valid for a free comprehensive eye exam and, if needed, a pair of glasses to a “Little” brother or sister served by the Big Brothers Big Sisters program – for up to 25,000 Littles! This charitable program ends November 15, 2013. You can choose to have VSP donate to the Big Brothers Big Sisters program closest to you or select the program with the most need. This is a great activity you can do with your own children to teach them about the importance of giving. An annual comprehensive eye exam can help them learn and experience life to the fullest. It is recommended that Parents take their children to the eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam starting as young as six months old, then again at three years old, before kindergarten, and every year after that. In-school screenings do not provide the same level of detection as comprehensive eye exams. 80 percent of what we learn is through our eyes, making an eye exam essential for your back-to-school “to do” list.
What are the benefits of enrolling in vision insurance? With VSP Vision Care, you can:
- Keep your eyes healthy with highly credentialed doctors who provide the most thorough exams.
- Save money – the average VSP member saves approximately $320 each year with vision insurance!
- Get access to great eye wear – more than two dozen brands and hundreds of styles to choose from!
- Enable your family to experience life to the fullest.
What do you think of VSP? Have you included getting your child an eye exam on your back-to-school "to do" list?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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