Today’s families are facing an eyecare health crisis. Studies1 show nearly half (49 percent) of children with myopia have difficulty in the classroom, and 41 percent of parents with myopic children said their children struggle with everyday activities. To add to this growing issue, many parents are unaware that not all eyeglasses are the same and that there is a difference in lens quality and features that can impact their child’s visual outcome.

Essilor of America and “Black-ish” actress Marsai Martin launched the 20/20 Vision Pledge to encourage parents to take immediate action to prioritize their children’s best vision, a critical element for education success. By taking the Pledge to prioritize vision this back-to-school season, parents are eligible to win a comprehensive exam and a pair of eyeglasses for their child—and eyeglasses for their child’s entire school (K-12), courtesy of the Essilor Vision Foundation.

Martin, 15, who plays Diane Johnson on the ABC Emmy-nominated hit comedy “Black-ish,” struggled in school until her vision issues were successfully diagnosed and treated by an eyecare professional who offered her the right solution for her needs. “I know what it’s like to sit in a classroom where everything looks blurry. No child should have to go through that experience,” Martin said. “Through this Pledge and partnership, I hope every child in America gets the opportunity to see the world clearly, and to be at their best in the classroom and in life.”

Dr. Ryan Parker, OD, director of professional development at Essilor of America, said, “Myopia management is quickly becoming a hot topic for eyecare professionals. We must be mindful of the importance of early and frequent comprehensive eye examinations in managing myopia. By seeing children early and often, we can identify patients that are at risk and customize a plan accordingly.”
 


Here’s how patients and communities can participate in the Essilor 20/20 Vision Pledge:
● Visit 2020visionpledge.com and submit a pledge entry by Sept. 25, 2019.
● Participants can earn five additional entries by completing a search for an eyecare professional after completing their submission.
● While the 20/20 Vision Pledge aims to reach parents, anyone over 18 can enter to win glasses and nominate a school of their choice.
Eyecare professionals are encouraged to share the Pledge with their communities and to prioritize recommending their best visual solutions for single vision patients in need of better products for today’s needs.The Essilor Next GEN Offer is a great way to enable more patients to experience our best technology and not settle for less. 

The Essilor 20/20 Vision Pledge will run through Sept. 25, 2019 and the winner will be announced on World Sight Day, Oct. 10, 2019. 


1 Research conducted by MetrixLab on behalf of Essilor of more than 1,000 parents of children ages 7-17 who have myopia and over 600 children with myopia.