Erik Estrada Leads National Effort With Transitions Optical to Educate Consumers About Year-Round Eye Health

PINELLAS PARK, Fla., Nov. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Bringing Transitions Optical's "Get Sighted" initiative to a national level, actor Erik Estrada of the famed 1970's TV show "CHiPs," along with optometrist Larry Lampert, is raising awareness about the importance of healthy sight among consumers across the country.  Over the past few months, Estrada, as a Healthy Sight Officer, has already led the Healthy Sight Patrol through the streets of New York City and at the Transitions Championship in the Tampa Bay area to distribute "Sight-Ations" for violations such as "Visual Abandonment" and "Indecent Exposure" to consumers who were not wearing proper UV-blocking eyewear while outdoors.  Now, Estrada has teamed up with Dr. Larry Lampert to educate consumers nationwide about year-round eye health.

While summer may be the most obvious time of the year to prevent UV exposure with sunscreen and protective eyewear, UV rays are present all year-round, even during cloudy, cold weather months.  Exposure to UV rays can actually cause just as much damage to the eyes as it does to the skin.  According to Dr. Larry Lampert, optometric physician and developmental/behavioral optometrist, only five percent of people know that exposure to UV rays can cause long-term, irreversible damage to the eyes, including cataracts and macular degeneration, as well as to the sensitive skin around the eyes.  In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that 3.2 million people go blind every year as a result of prolonged UV exposure.

"I always want to make sure citizens are protected, and as a Healthy Sight Officer, it is my job to help educate them about how to properly protect their eyes from UV rays all year-round," said Estrada. "As part of Transitions Optical's Healthy Sight Patrol, I have the opportunity to spread the word to people across the country about taking better care of their eyes by visiting their local eye doctors regularly and wearing protective eyewear."

Assisting Transitions and Healthy Sight Officer Estrada in building consumer eye health awareness nationwide is Dr. Larry Lampert, who is among only 450 individuals in the world to have completed a fellowship in developmental vision.  Dr. Lampert has a family-based practice in Boca Raton, Fla.

"Children's eyes are especially sensitive," explained Dr. Larry Lampert.  "Studies reveal that 80 percent of patients under the age of 15 show signs of UV-related eye damage, which is cumulative, so it's never too early or too late to start protecting your eyes."

In addition to appearances on national and local broadcast media alongside Dr. Lampert, Estrada encourages everyone to join the Healthy Sight Patrol by asking them to visit www.GetSighted.com to send a "Sight-Ation" to friends and family members who are not properly caring for their eyes and learn more about how they can ensure lifelong healthy sight.  

"Our goal through this initiative is to educate everyone about the importance of year-round eye protection, including proper eyewear such as Transitions® lenses and to encourage families to visit their eye doctor regularly for a comprehensive exam," said Dan McLean, communications specialist, Transitions Optical.  "With the end of the year quickly approaching, now is a great opportunity to consider utilizing remaining vision benefits or putting the remaining funds from Flexible Spending Accounts toward UV-blocking eyewear for the entire family."

For more information on how to protect your eyes and to join the Healthy Sight Patrol, visit www.GetSighted.com.

About Transitions Optical, Inc.

Transitions Optical is a joint venture of PPG Industries, Inc. and Essilor International.  The first to successfully commercialize a plastic photochromic lens in 1990, today the company is a leading provider of photochromics to optical manufacturers worldwide.  Transitions Optical offers the most advanced photochromic technology in the widest selection of lens designs, materials and brand names.

Transitions® lenses are the ideal everyday choice for healthy sight.  They are clear indoors and at night.  Outdoors, they automatically darken as light conditions change.  Transitions lenses provide visual comfort, and enhance visual quality by reducing glare and enhancing contrast, helping you to see better today.  Transitions lenses block 100 percent of harmful UVA and UVB rays – helping to protect the health and wellness of your eyes – so you can see better tomorrow as well.

For more information about the company and Transitions lenses, the first to earn the American Optometric Association's Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbers/Blockers, visit Transitions.com or contact Transitions Optical Customer Service at (800) 848-1506 (United States) or (877) 254-2590 (Canada).

SOURCE Transitions Optical