Erik Estrada Leads National Effort With Transitions Optical to Educate Consumers About Year-Round Eye Health
November 11, 2010 12:18 AM
PINELLAS PARK, Fla—Transitions Optical’s “Get Sighted” initiative led by actor Erik Estrada and optometrist Larry Lampert, OD is raising awareness about the importance of healthy sight among consumers across the U.S. Over the past few months, Estrada, of the famed 1970′s TV show “CHiPs,” has been playing a new role for Transitions as a Healthy Sight Officer. He has led the Healthy Sight Patrol through the streets of New York City and at the Transitions Championship in the Tampa Bay area to distribute “Sight-Ations” for violations such as “Visual Abandonment” and “Indecent Exposure” to consumers who were not wearing proper UV-blocking eyewear while outdoors.
“Our goal through this initiative is to educate everyone about the importance of year-round eye protection, including proper eyewear such as Transitions lenses and to encourage families to visit their eye doctor regularly for a comprehensive exam,” said Dan McLean, communications specialist, Transitions Optical. “With the end of the year quickly approaching, now is a great opportunity to consider utilizing remaining vision benefits or putting the remaining funds from Flexible Spending Accounts toward UV-blocking eyewear for the entire family.”
Assisting Transitions and Healthy Sight Officer Estrada in building consumer eye health awareness nationwide is Lampert who runs a family-based practice in Boca Raton, Fla. According to Lampert, optometric physician and developmental/behavioral optometrist, only 5 percent of people know that exposure to UV rays can cause long-term, irreversible damage to the eyes, including cataracts and macular degeneration, as well as to the sensitive skin around the eyes. It is estimated that 3.2 million people go blind every year as a result of prolonged UV exposure, the World Health Organization said.
“I always want to make sure citizens are protected, and as a Healthy Sight Officer, it is my job to help educate them about how to properly protect their eyes from UV rays all year-round,” said Estrada. “As part of Transitions Optical’s Healthy Sight Patrol, I have the opportunity to spread the word to people across the country about taking better care of their eyes by visiting their local eye doctors regularly and wearing protective eyewear.”
In addition to appearances on national and local broadcast media alongside Lampert, Estrada encourages everyone to join the Healthy Sight Patrol by asking them to visit www.GetSighted.com to send a “Sight-Ation” to friends and family members who are not properly caring for their eyes and learn more about how they can ensure lifelong healthy sight.
For more information on how to protect your eyes and to join the Healthy Sight Patrol, visit www.GetSighted.com
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