90210 Alum Jennie Garth Goes Back to School to Raise Awareness of the Importance of Healthy Vision

FORT WORTH, Texas, July 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- If a child cannot see clearly, he may have trouble learning, a problem that will impact his entire life. Jennie Garth, well-known actress and mother of three, knows firsthand that healthy vision can change everything for a child – at school and at home.  

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Ms. Garth, whose two older daughters struggled in school before receiving vision correction, has partnered with Alcon to launch the Eye Saw Good campaign, an initiative that highlights the important role that good eye health and clear vision play in allowing people to see the world around them and live life to the fullest. The campaign inspires people to help provide good eye health and vision correction for children in need across the US. The campaign is simple: see good, share good, and make good happen.

When you see something good – an act of kindness or whatever strikes you in the moment – take a picture and share it on Twitter with hash tag #EyeSawGood, or go to www.THEeyeSOLUTION.com. For every picture shared, Alcon will donate $1, up to $50,000, to fund more than 1,000 eye exams and eyeglasses for children in need in the US through the Kids Vision for Life program.

At a recent visit with children who benefited from eye exams and eyeglasses provided by Kids Vision for Life, Garth witnessed the difference vision correction can make in the life of a child. "I met one young girl who was held back because she couldn't read – no one realized her vision was the problem!" said Ms. Garth. "Hearing stories like this convinces me that the need to raise awareness of healthy vision, especially for children in need, is an important cause."

"Children who can't see well are more likely to disengage from learning and have trouble interacting with the world around them," said Stephen Shawler, with Kids Vision for Life. "One in four school-aged children has a vision problem and of those, two-thirds are not receiving proper care. Initiatives like the Eye Saw Good campaign are invaluable in helping to raise awareness about these issues."

The Eye Saw Good campaign is sponsored by Alcon to help highlight the important role that good eye health and clear vision play in the way we see the world. It inspires people to see and share the good things they see around them to help provide eye care and good vision through the Kids Vision for Life program. Alcon has committed up to $50,000 to the Kids Vision for Life program which will fund more than 1,000 eye exams and eye glasses for children in the US who need them.

Alcon's mission is to provide innovative products to enhance the quality of life by helping people see better. Alcon's THE eyeSOLUTION™, portfolio of over-the-counter eye care products, was designed to make it easy to find care for their eyes at retail stores: easy for people to find products when in the aisle; easy to save on the products they need; easy to find quality care for their eyes. THE eyeSOLUTION™ portfolio includes:  CLEAR CARE^® Solution, ICAPS^® Eye Vitamins, Naphcon-A^® Eye Allergy Drops, OPTI-FREE^® Brand, SYSTANE^®  Brand and Zaditor^® Eye Allergy Drops.

"We believe that every person should have access to quality vision care regardless of their economic circumstances," said Robert K. Warner, Area President US and Canada, Alcon. "The Eye Saw Good campaign allows others to join us in helping to provide access to healthy vision for children in underserved communities across the US."

Visit www.THEeyeSOLUTION.com to learn more about the Eye Saw Good campaign. Follow @TheEyeSolution on Twitter to see pictures of the good things people are sharing and share your own pictures using hash tag #EyeSawGood. 

About Kids Vision for Life
Kids Vision for Life is a charitable program that brings together non-profit organizations, schools, businesses, and community leaders to provide vision screenings, eye exams, and eyeglasses to children, ages 5-12, at no cost to the family through mobile clinics, schools and special events in underserved communities in the US. It was created in 2008 by the Essilor Vision Foundation, a Dallas-based public non-profit organization that creates and supports activities that advance good vision through education and vision services. The Alcon Foundation has partnered with the Essilor Vision Foundation for more than five years to establish the Kids Vision for Life program in every location where Alcon has a presence in the US. To donate or learn more visit www.kidsvisionforlife.org.

About Alcon
Alcon, the global leader in eye care, provides innovative products that enhance quality of life by helping people worldwide see better. The three Alcon businesses - Surgical, Pharmaceutical and Vision Care - offer one of the widest portfolios of eye care products in the world. Alcon is the second largest division of the Novartis Group with pro-forma sales of USD 10.2 billion in 2012. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, Alcon has more than 24,000 employees worldwide, operations in 75 countries and products available in 180 markets. For more information, visit www.alcon.com.

SOURCE Alcon