Sen. Durbin and U.S. House Leaders Support Chicago-Area Optometrists in Improving Infant Eye and Vision Care Through the InfantSEE(R) Program
Posted on: Thursday, 16 April 2009, 11:02 CDT
No-cost, comprehensive eye and vision assessments provided by doctors of optometry during the week of April 20
CHICAGO, April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to the overwhelming number of children with eye and vision problems across the United States, Chicago and surrounding area optometrists are devoting appointments to no-cost, comprehensive eye and vision assessments for infants between six to 12 months of age through InfantSEE(R). InfantSEE(R), a public health program developed by Optometry's Charity(TM) - The AOA Foundation in partnership with The Vision Care Institute(TM), LLC a Johnson & Johnson company, was designed to provide professional eye care for infants nationwide at no-cost, regardless of family income or number of eligible children.
"Undetected and untreated eye disorders in children can result in delayed reading and poorer outcomes in school," said Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). "I applaud the Illinois optometrists who offer their time and talent to provide no-cost infant eye and vision assessments to prevent that from happening. I also encourage all parents to take advantage of the InfantSEE(R) program to help ensure that our children have the tools needed to succeed later in life."
Leading members of the U.S. House of Representatives delegation from Chicago and surrounding areas have also expressed their support for the InfantSEE(R) program. Reps. Bobby Rush (D-IL), Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Mark Kirk (R-IL) and other Members urged local parents to have their infant's eyes assessed during InfantSEE(R) Week.
To encourage parents to take advantage of the InfantSEE(R) program and to help protect infant vision and eye health, Mayor Richard M. Daley has officially declared Monday, April 20 through Friday, April 24 InfantSEE(R) Week in Chicago and surrounding areas.
One in 10 children are at risk from undiagnosed eye and vision problems, which, if undetected, could lead to permanent vision impairment, and in rare cases, life-threatening health risks. However, only 14 percent of children from infancy to age six have had a comprehensive eye assessment from an eye care professional. In Chicago and surrounding areas, great strides are being made to ensure that potential eye and vision problems are detected early. Infant eye assessments have been available in Illinois since the InfantSEE(R) program launched in 2005.
"Many parents are surprised to learn that the first year of life is one of the most critical stages of a child's visual development," said Dr. Pamela Lowe, a Chicago-area optometrist and InfantSEE(R) provider. "It's the ideal time to detect eye and vision problems before these conditions worsen or cause developmental delays. A lifetime of healthy vision begins in the first year of life."
The program launched in 2005 with support from former President Jimmy Carter, honorary national chair. Nearly 8,000 optometrists nationwide volunteer their time to provide assessments to babies in their communities. The majority of vision problems detected included retinoblastoma (eye cancer), severe hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness), congenital glaucoma and congenital cataract.
"As a parent, one of my biggest concerns is making sure my child's development is on track," said Patricia Rios, local mother of Noah, now age 3. "When my son was a baby and I learned about the InfantSEE(R) program, it was an obvious decision to take Noah for an assessment. When the doctors gave his eyes a clean bill of health, it really put my mind at ease."
To continue to improve infant eye assessment rates in Chicago and surrounding areas, the following eye care providers will offer no-cost InfantSEE(R) eye assessments from April 20 to 24, by appointment:
ADDISON
Dr. Steven Butzon
207 S. Addison Rd.
630-279-8866
Dr. Lenard Schwartz
1250 W. Lake St.
630-543-0607
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
Dr. Laura Palermo
18 S. Evergreen
847-253-8500
BARRINGTON
Dr. David Tabak
232 E. Main St.
847-382-2020
BLUE ISLAND
Dr. Ansel Johnson
13046 S. Western Ave.
708-385-0013
CHICAGO
Illinois Eye Institute - Pediatric Clinic
3241 S. Michigan Ave.
312-949-7280
Dr. Brian Caden
Dr. Darrell Schlange
3241 S. Michigan Ave.
312-225-6200
Dr. Dennis DeLee
209 S. LaSalle St., Ste. 120
312-332-4461
Dr. David Dewaard
1056 W. Wilson Ave.
773-271-5774
Dr. Ansel Johnson
Dr. Eiman Gafour
Dr. Janet Wheeler
840 East 87th St.
773-783-4434
Dr. Stephanie Johnson
5401 S. Wentworth, #4
773-924-5292
Dr. William Mackay
738 W. 107th St.
773-568-7439
Dr. Constance MacQueen
7117 W. Archer Ave.
773-586-8444
Dr. Janice Scharre
3241 S. Michigan Ave.
312-949-7245
Dr. Rebecca Schmitt
111 N. Wabash Ave., Ste. 1610
312-263-6350
Dr. Lenard Schwartz
3201 S. Wallace St.
312-225-5135
Dr. Magdalena Stec
321 N. Michigan Ave.
312-263-0222
Dr. Andrea Stein
4735 N. Damen
773-961-8700
DEERFIELD
Dr. Darin Strako
360 S. Waukegan Rd., Ste. A
847-412-0311
DECATUR
Dr. Gary Gray
2490 North Water St., Ste. 16
217-875-4646
DOWNERS GROVE
Dr. Louis Jison, MD
Dr. Linda Weil
3800 Highland Ave., #100
630-960-0456
EVANSTON
Dr. Millicent Knight
2914 Central St.
847-864-4768
FRANKFORT
Dr. Leon Kosek
Dr. Judy Walsh
600 Bankview Dr.
815-469-8541
GRAYSLAKE
Dr. Charlotte Nielsen
1120 Washington St.
847-223-2000
GLENVIEW
Dr. Stephen Beckerman
Dr. Angie Ghanayem
Dr. Jennifer Harthan
1920 Waukegan Rd.
847-510-2111
HICKORY HILLS
Dr. John Gardner
9400 S. Roberts Rd.
708-598-1322
LA GRANGE
Dr. Cecilia Heiges
715 W. Hillgrove Ave.
708-482-3200
LA SALLE
Dr. Wendy Sanders
641 First St.
815-223-0331
LIBERTYVILLE
Dr. Jody Ricketts
Dr. Kelly Daugherty
730 N. Milwaukee Ave.
847-362-9900
Dr. Marvin Heimlich
307 S. Milwaukee Ave.
847-362-3444
McHENRY
Dr. Robert Peterson
Dr. Daniel Jannotta
4306 W. Crystal Lake Rd.
815-385-7930
MORRIS
Dr. Tim Ortiz
Dr. Angelo Marino
880 Bedford Rd.
815-942-5500
MOUNT PROSPECT
Dr. Nimisa Patel
1717 W. Golf Road
847-437-1414
NORTH AURORA
Dr. Lena Park
9 S. Lincolnway
630-844-2500
NILES
Dr. John Geevarghese
Dr. Pam Lowe
7225 N. Caldwell
847-647-0707
OAK LAWN
Dr. Katherine Narbone
6209 W. 95th St.
708-423-2500
Dr. Robert Steinmetz
4619 W. 103rd St.
708-229-2200
ORLAND PARK
Dr. Mary Lou French
14315 S. 108th Ave.
708-403-0123
PALATINE
Dr. Morris Lehrfeld
Dr. Laura Rosanova
251 E. Northwest Hwy.
847-358-4950
PALOS HEIGHTS
Dr. Robert Marini
7110 W. 127th St.
708-361-2727
PLANO
Dr. Carla Adams
6800 W. Route 34
630-552-1593
STREAMWOOD
Dr. Ingryd Lorenzana
1018 S. Barrington Rd.
630-837-3939
TINLEY PARK
Dr. Dennis Gaeta
17730 Oak Park Ave.
708-692-7778
WESTMONT
Dr. David Maze
136 N. Case Ave.
630-969-2807
WESTCHESTER
Dr. Louis Jison, MD
10215 W. Roosevelt Rd.
708-345-7005
WILLOWBROOK
Dr. Les Paczkowski
6300 S. Kingery Hwy., Ste. 116
630-323-0222
WOODSTOCK
Dr. Jessica Heinke
233 Washington St.
815-338-0674
InfantSEE(R) assessments are complementary to the routine well-care exams a baby receives from a pediatrician or family physician. Optometrists have the training to identify areas of risk that are critical to vision development and the skills to identify conditions that might not be detected in a routine pediatric wellness exam. In some cases, conditions may need to be monitored, immediately treated or referred to a pediatric eye specialist.
To learn more about InfantSEE(R), visit www.InfantSEE.org.
About InfantSEE(R)
InfantSEE(R) is a public health program managed by Optometry's Charity(TM) - The AOA Foundation. Designed to ensure that eye and vision care become an integral part of infant wellness and improve a child's quality of life, doctors of optometry provide one eye and vision assessment to infants free-of-charge regardless of socioeconomic status. For more information visit infantsee.org.
About the American Optometric Association
American Optometric Association doctors of optometry are highly qualified, trained doctors, on the frontline of eye health and vision care, who examine, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases and disorders of the eye. In addition to providing eye and vision care, optometrists play a major role in an individual's overall health and well-being by detecting systemic diseases. Doctors of optometry have the skills and training to provide more than two-thirds of all primary eye care in the United States. The American Optometric Association represents more than 36,000 doctors of optometry, optometry students and paraoptometric assistants and technicians in nearly 6,500 communities across the country. For more information, visit www.aoa.org.
About The Vision Care Institute
The Vision Care Institute of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc. is an innovative educational resource created to prepare optometry students for a successful transition into the real world of delivering quality eye care, as well as to assist practicing Eye Care Professionals in the growth and development of their practice. The state-of-the-art facility gives participants a rare opportunity to gain first-hand experience with the latest in vision diagnostic and treatment technologies through hands-on contact lens instruction. Besides clinical training, participants also concentrate on communication skills. The curriculum, taught by leading eye care practitioners from around the country, gives participants the skills and confidence necessary to excel in today's professional practice. The Vision Care Institute has hosted students from all 19 of the schools and colleges of optometry throughout North America at its headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida.
Contact: Julie Mahoney Madonna Duncan
American Optometric Hill & Knowlton
Association (312) 255-3143
(314) 991-4100 x4176 madonna.duncan@hillandknowlton.com
JMMahoney@aoa.org
SOURCE InfantSEE
Source: PR Newswire
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