Highlights • Visionworks & Davis Vision

For those living with diabetes: Support and education

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the national rate of adults with diabetes has nearly tripled since 1980. Nearly 30 million people in the United States are living with the disease. And its impact can be severe, leading to a multitude of other health problems, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, lower-limb amputation and blindness.

In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working-age American adults, according to the American Diabetes Association. Visionworks and Davis Vision saw the opportunity not only to emphasize the importance of an eye exam for people already diagnosed with diabetes, but to educate those who may be pre-diabetic or living with someone who has diabetes. What most people don’t realize is that a comprehensive eye exam can actually uncover a lot more than vision correction needs—it can detect serious medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diseases such as diabetes.

"We are adamant about helping people maintain healthy vision throughout their lives," said Jim Eisen, president and chief executive officer of HVHC Inc. and president of Visionworks. "And healthy vision and overall good health go hand in hand." So along with its sister company, Davis Vision, Visionworks got involved in helping people with diabetes in a big way in 2015.

The two organizations became national promotional sponsors of The American Diabetes Association’s "Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes," which provided the opportunity to spread the message and help make a difference.

Visionworks had walking teams raising funds for the initiative in more than 30 markets where it does business, and at 28 of these walks, its team members engaged with walkers and distributed valuable information about diabetes and healthy vision as well as special Visionworks coupons for eye exams and eyeglasses.

The people at Visionworks and Davis Vision are passionate about helping others to maintain their good health. And personally spreading the word to neighbors at events in their own communities is a powerful, hands-on way that they’re making an impact—helping to get both health and vision care right.