CHICAGO— Local Eye Site, a leading online community for ECPs, is partnering with Prevent Blindness America (PBA), the nation’s oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, to help protect children’s vision. Through its growing network of registered users including ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians and registered nurses, Local Eye Site will provide its members with the tools and information from the Star Pupils program.

Star Pupils is a trademark program of PBA that promotes children’s eye health and safety. It is designed to provide parents with the information they need to help their children succeed in the classroom through healthy vision as well as tips on proper eye protection and information on common eye problems. Donations to the Star Pupils program will help to provide access to vision care services for disadvantaged children. The goal of the program is to reach 5 million children through Star Pupils within in the next three years, according to an announcement from the PBA.

“Through my involvement with Prevent Blindness North Carolina, I have seen firsthand the impact that Prevent Blindness America programs have on children and their families. These screenings save sight, and change lives,” said Brad McCorkle, founder and president of Local Eye Site. “My hope is that we can engage the Local Eye Site community of eyecare professionals to raise awareness about the Star Pupils program, and the opportunity the eyecare community has to impact lives in such a rewarding way.”

“Thanks to this new joint effort, Prevent Blindness America and Local Eye Site will be able to work together to reach out to those eyecare professionals who are on the front lines of providing much-needed vision care,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of PBA. “We appreciate the dedication and commitment that Brad McCorkle and all of those at Local Eye Site have demonstrated over the years to promoting quality vision care and vision care services.”

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness America is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. For more information on Star Pupils, please visit starpupils.org or call (800) 331-2020. PBA offers a variety of fact sheets and brochures on children’s vision issues including an at-home eye test and tips for eye protection at starpupils.org.

Local Eye Site advances the quality of patient care by providing opportunities to foster professional development, further education and enhance communication among the eyecare community. For more information, visit localeyesite.com.