ABOVE PHOTO: One of the many young people receiving vision care at this year’s Give Kids Sight Day event.
Hundreds of Philadelphia children picked up free eyeglasses recently at Wills Eye Hospital. The institution’s Give Kids Sight Day initiative provides free eye exams, eyeglass prescriptions, and two pairs of glasses to children — regardless of their insurance status — every fall.
The event welcomes children ages 6 – 17 from Philadelphia and surrounding counties for free eye screenings at the Hospital, and then to return to pick up free eye glasses fitted to their needs, courtesy of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Vision Foundation. This year’s glasses pickup event took place on Saturday, November 11.
This year’s Give Kids Sight Day served 221 children resulting in 442 pairs of glasses distributed. Volunteers from Wills Eye Hospital, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, and Wills Eye Wear donated their time to provide eye exams, follow-up care recommendations, eyeglass customization, and glasses pickup logistics.
“We had another tremendous year serving Philadelphia’s children through our Give Kids Sight Day event. Thanks to all the time donated by physicians, opticians, and supporters and the generosity of the OneSight Essilor Luxottica Vision Foundation, we were able to provide hundreds of kids with new glasses right before the holidays,” said Julia A. Haller, MD, ophthalmologist-in-chief, Wills Eye Hospital. “We hope that the Give Kids Sight Day events underscore the importance of eye health and overall wellness for these children. They are the future of our city, and now they can see that bright future more clearly.”
Wills Eye Hospital provides this free service regardless of the insurance status of children and families. Since 2009, more than 10,000 children have received free eye care services through Give Kids Sight Day
“Give Kids Sight Day is one of my favorite events of the year. It provides parents with a critical resource for the ongoing health and wellness of their family and sets kids up for success as they head into the second half of the school year,” said Joseph P. Bilson, chief executive officer for Wills Eye Hospital. “Wills Eye is committed to improving health equity in Philadelphia and our surrounding communities and Give Kids Sight Day is just one strong example of that work. I want to thank everyone at Wills Eye and our partner institutions that came together to make these events a success.”
To learn more about Give Kids Sight Day, please visit: www.willseye.org/give-kids-sight-day/.
Related Posts
Hospitalized children receive a ‘Touch of Comfort’
Community College of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists Association to provide free dental sealants to children on “Sealant Saturday,” Feb. 6
Christmas on the Avenue: Community Service Leader Mont Brown is Bringing Families and Children together for a FREE Toy Giveaway
Leave a Comment