Transitions Optical, Inc
"Healthy Sight for Life: Focus on At-risk Eyes Campaign" Launches at
Black Family Reunion Celebration
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 13, 2010 – Recognizing the increased risks African Americans face for a number of eye health issues, Transitions Optical, Inc. is partnering with the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) to raise awareness about the importance of proper vision care and vision wear among the African-American community. NCNW is a national, non-profit organization whose mission is to lead, develop and advocate for women of African descent – and a natural partner for Transitions Optical's "Healthy Sight for Life: Focus on African-American Eyes" campaign, which launched at the NCNW Black Family Reunion Celebration on September 11 in Washington, D.C. This event, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, attracted an estimated 250,000 consumers.
"As part of our ongoing multicultural outreach efforts, we are pleased to be able to work with NCNW to provide valuable eye health education to the African-American community," said Manuel Solis, multicultural marketing manager, Transitions Optical. "Participating in the Black Family Reunion was a great start to our campaign, and we look forward to generating national awareness about vision care among this community with the support of NCNW."
During the Black Family Reunion event, Transitions Optical provided free vision screenings at its booth in the Health & Wellness Pavilion in partnership with optical retailer, America's Best. Transitions also provided free eye health education throughout the event with a presentation at the pavilion by Vincent Young, M.D., chairman of the Division of Ophthalmology at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, and by distributing materials – including its new "What to Expect: African-American Eyes" brochure – there and at the Transitions-sponsored mobile clinic named Eyenstein, located on the National Mall. Eyenstein – a full-service mobile eyecare clinic– is the newest addition to the VSP® Vision Care Mobile Eyes program™ and is a partnership between VSP and Transitions Optical. The Eyenstein clinic also visited the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington D.C., providing free comprehensive eye exams and Transitions® lenses to community members.
More than 225 adults and children benefited from the screenings over the weekend, and nearly 75 appointments for comprehensive eye exams were scheduled.
"This was the first time we had a partner who offered vision screenings and education at our event, which is a great complement to our health programming," said Avis Jones DeWeever, executive director, NCNW. "As part of our mission, we focus on promoting healthy lifestyles, and I believe eye health is an important aspect to overall health that we do not want to neglect. Our work with Transitions will afford us the opportunity to focus more on this area."
An article about the importance of eye health will also appear in the NCNW's quarterly newsletter, reaching local communities and raising awareness about this issue.
High-Risk Groups
Transitions Optical's "Healthy Sight for Life: Focus on African-American Eyes" is the latest aspect of its multicultural communications platform to raise awareness of the eye health needs of at-risk groups. The programming started with the fast-growing Hispanic market and will continue to expand to reach Asian Americans in 2011, as well as the African-American community. These populations are at higher risk for many eye health issues. Examples of such issues in the African-American community include:
- Cataract – African Americans are 1.5 times more at risk for developing cataract than the general population – and are five times more likely to develop blindness as a result.
- Glaucoma – African Americans are five times more likely than Caucasians to develop glaucoma, and are four times more likely to suffer blindness.
- Diabetes – Diabetes can lead to problems in the eye, including diabetic retinopathy. Prevalence is 70 percent higher in African Americans.
- Hypertension – High blood pressure can impact eyesight and lead to eye disease. African Americans are 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, and are 10 percent less likely to have it under control.
- HIV/AIDS – Trending upward in the African-American population, HIV and AIDS can lead to retinal detachment and blindness within two to six months.
Consumers can obtain information about eye- and overall-health issues impacting high-risk groups by visiting www.HealthySightForLife.org/GroupsAtRisk.
About Transitions Optical
As the leading provider of photochromics to optical manufacturers, Transitions Optical, headquartered in Pinellas Park, Fla., offers the most advanced photochromic technology in the widest selection of lens designs and materials. Transitions Optical is driven by innovation to support the advancement of healthy sight and adaptive eyewear, and to providing its partners the tools and programs their businesses need to thrive. Transitions® lenses are the #1-recommended photochromic lenses worldwide.
Transitions Optical's family of products includes everyday lenses, designed to be worn indoors and darken outdoors, and performance lenses, designed to be worn outdoors in place of sun lenses. Transitions everyday lenses adapt to light to provide more comfortable vision while protecting eyes from UV. Transitions performance lenses include the company's sunwear line, Transitions® SOLFX™ sun lenses, which enhance visual performance in specific outdoor activities by adapting to optimize color and darkness in changing light conditions.
For more information, visit Transitions.com/Pro or TransitionsSOLFX.com, or contact Transitions Optical Customer Service at (800) 848-1506 (United States) or (877) 254-2590 (Canada).
About National Council of Negro Women
The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) is a historic civil rights organization committed to advancing opportunities and improving the quality of life for African American women. Since its founding in 1935 by Mary McLeod Bethune, NCNW has played a prominent
leadership role in unifying of African American women and advocating for causes that affect their lives and families. For more than 70 years, Dr. Dorothy I. Height, a champion of civil rights, continued this work, ultimately serving in the position of President Emerita of the organization. As both a membership organization and an organization of organizations, NCNW represents the
collective voices of the more than four million African American women worldwide. For more
information, visit www.ncnw.org.
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NOTE: For images, please contact Christina Wetzel at (412) 456-4301 or [email protected].