The Gift of Vision Challenge

On December 1, 2003 on televisions NBC Channel 5 Chicago, Dr. Eiden issued a challenge from his Deerfield, Illinois office to Optometrists and Ophthalmologists across the country to give the gift of vision this Holiday Season. Almost 80 percent of preschool-age children never get an eye exam. If each optometrist and ophthalmologist in the nation takes up Dr. Eiden's challenge, close to a half-million children can be helped this Holiday Season, and this number can grow exponentially as this effort becomes an annual event! Dr. Eiden led the way on December 1, by gifting comprehensive vision exams to ten students from Doolittle East Middle School.

Dr. Eiden conducted the examinations using a new technology called Optomap. All exams and vision correction items, such as glasses and contacts, were donated by Dr. Eiden and his vendors.

Press Release
November 14, 2003

North Suburban Vision Consultants Lead the Way to Gift of Vision for Students "A child that has a hard time seeing often doesn't even realize it. Once able to see, borderline students become good students, then the potential to be a great student and contributing citizen rises and a future that was once questionable is brighter." Lori A. Lennix, Principal of Doolittle East Middle School.

WHAT: Dr. S. Barry Eiden will be giving free eye exams to ten Chicago-area students while issuing a challenge to Optometrists and Ophthalmologists across the country to give the GIFT OF VISION this Holiday Season. All exams and vision correction items, such as glasses and contacts, for the children will be donated by Eiden and his vendors. If each optometrist and ophthalmologist in the nation takes up this challenge, close to a half-million children can be helped this Holiday Season.

VISUAL: Ten students from Doolittle East Middle School will be receiving comprehensive vision exams using a new technology called Optomap, which will be like a science field trip as each child gets to see their eyeball and its inner workings on a large computer screen. The exams are performed without dilation of the pupils, which will make the Doolittle pupils happy. Optomap was developed by Douglas Anderson, after his 5-year-old son lost vision in one eye because of a detached retina that wasn't seen with a traditional eye exam. Most people don't know that eye tests at school and traditional vision screenings do not diagnose diseases such as macular dystrophy, glaucoma, retinal tears and detachments, retinal tumors, diabetic retinopathy, and other ocular and systemic diseases.

WHEN: 10:00 a.m., Wednesday morning, November 19, 2003 during American Education Week WHO: Dr. S. Barry Eiden is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, Department of Ophthalmology and President/Medical Director of North Suburban Vision Consultants Ltd. and Lori A. Lennix, Principal of Doolittle East Middle School.

WHY: Across the U.S, nearly one in four kids has vision problems which can impact learning, behavior, social interactions, sports and self esteem, and even contribute to juvenile delinquency. Seven out of ten juvenile delinquents have vision problems, and vision disorders are the fourth most common disability in the United States and the most prevalent handicapping condition in childhood. Almost 80 percent of preschool-age children never get an eye exam.

QUOTE: "I recalled how my grammar school classmates teased the kids that had trouble reading. As an Optometrist, I now realize that those kids may have simply been unable to focus their vision properly. If things look blurry and, you've never been given the gift of perfect vision with the aid of corrective glasses or contact lenses, then you think fuzzy vision is normal. That teasing still happens today and those in my industry can help." (Eiden)

WHERE: North Suburban Vision Consultants, Ltd. is located at 360 S. Waukegan Road, Suite A, Deerfield, IL 60015. (Waukegan Road/Route 43 just South of Lake-Cook Road).