PREVENT BLINDNESS AND LIBERTY SPORT ANNOUNCE NEW PERFORMANCE VISION CENTER AWARD
FAIRFIELD, NJ – October 17, 2016 In recognition of leading Independent Eye Care Professionals who are committed to reducing preventable eye injuries in both active youth and adults, Prevent Blindness, Liberty Sport, and Dr. Alan Reichow, OD, Med, FAAO, announce the new “Performance Vision Center” Award program. This program recognizes a commitment to “Protecting and Enhancing Vision through Education, Assessment, and Intervention.”
“New research available in the last year has helped quantify the significant and positive impact that we have had in partnership with Independent Eye Care Professionals in preventing sports related eye injuries.” said Anthony DiChiara, Liberty Sport President and CEO. “We supported this timely idea to recognize and award a leading group of ECPs for their dedication to our shared mission. We remain particularly mindful that our mission to protect active children and adults from eye injury continues.”
According to Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest eye health and safety organization, eye injuries have decreased by double digits over the past five years. Eye Care Professionals that regularly prescribe sport protective eyewear have had a major impact on this trend. Even with this dramatic improvement, the challenge remains as active youth and adults still suffer over 30,000 eye injuries each year as noted in the latest Sports Related Eye Injuries by Age stat sheet published by Prevent Blindness. Over 90% of these injuries are preventable through education, assessment, and intervention.
Dr. Reichow, who has recently been appointed as the Liberty Sport Research and Education Associate, has spent his career focusing on sport vision and student-athletes.
“The guiding sense to most of human performance is vision, and with that comes the responsibility for Eye Care Practitioners to first and foremost, identify and protect those at risk of eye injury. Secondly, we need to be aware of and educate our patients as to the long-term risks to ocular health, such as UV and Blue Light exposure. Providing superior optical technologies that address these safety and health concerns is paramount. Lastly, once we’ve protected our patients then we have the opportunity to positively influence their academic, occupational, leisure and sports/recreational activities with comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, remediation and enhancement products and services. It is only through adoption and integration of all these aspects that we provide our patients with the knowledge and tools to enable them to reach their true potential in the safest and healthiest manner possible,” said Dr. Reichow,.
The Performance Vision Center Award serves to distinguish Independent Eye Care Professionals and their practices within their local area. To further support their mission, Liberty Sport has provided each Awardee an exclusive benefits package that includes tools and information as well as the best complete Rx solutions packages and pricing Liberty Sport has to offer. Additionally, each Awardee receives exclusive rights to use the Performance Vision Center Medallion graphic in promotion of their practice.
“Eye injuries from sports can lead to severe vision loss and even blindness. The good news is that most eye injuries are preventable by using the proper eye protection,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “Prevent Blindness applauds the new Performance Vision Center Award program from Liberty Sport and appreciates the vital role that eye care professionals play in helping to protect the gift of sight.”
About Liberty Sport, Inc.
Founded in 1929, Liberty Sport is the leading manufacturer and distributor of Sport Protective, Performance Sunwear, Active Eyewear and functions as the Complete Rx Sport Vision Resource. Our dedication to research, engineering and technology places Liberty Sport on the cutting edge of Rx-able protective eyewear solutions for sports of all kinds. The development of the Switch product line in 2009 now provides a technology solution to a new market - NASA. With distribution through eye care professionals and leading optical chains worldwide, Liberty Sport is committed to promoting awareness for sports eye injury prevention and providing technologically advanced eyewear solutions. To view the full range of eyewear solutions, visit www.libertysport.com and follow us on social: Facebook: fb.com/LibertySport29; Twitter: @LibertySport29; Pinterest: Liberty Sport; Instagram: Liberty.Sport. Liberty Sport: Performance Eyewear Solutions – Authentic since 1929.
About Prevent Blindness
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, or to make a contribution to the sight-saving fund, call 1-800- 331-2020. Or, visit us on the Web at preventblindness.org or facebook.com/preventblindness.