Famed Sportscaster Lesley Visser Zones in on Healthy Vision With Transitions Optical in Preparation for Football's Biggest Game

PINELLAS PARK, Fla., Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With the nation's eyes on the biggest football game of the season this weekend, famed sportscaster Lesley Visser is partnering with Transitions Optical and sports vision specialist Dr. Larry Lampert, to raise awareness about healthy vision and its connection to sports performance among consumers across the country.  

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/transitions/48153/

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110202/MM38700 )

As the first and only woman inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the first woman to report from a Super Bowl sideline, Visser has spent much of her career at outdoor sporting events leaving her eyes unprotected and exposed to intense glare from the sun's harmful UV rays. Years later, realizing the damaging effects that UV exposure has had on her eyes, Visser is teaming up with Dr. Larry Lampert to educate athletes and spectators about the importance of wearing UV-blocking eyewear, along with getting regular, comprehensive eye exams.

While the end of football season often brings playoff games in bitterly cold temperatures on snow-covered fields, UV rays that can damage the eyes are still present, regardless of the time of year.  Exposure to UV rays can actually cause just as much damage to the eyes as it does to the skin.  In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that 3.2 million people go blind every year as a result of prolonged UV exposure.  Dr. Lampert adds that UV-related eye damage is cumulative, so it's never too early or too late to get a regular, comprehensive eye exam and to start protecting your eyes.

"I depend on my vision for all that I do in my professional and daily life and now as a prescription lens wearer, I have come to truly appreciate and value precious sight and want to take the proper steps to preserve it," said Lesley Visser.  "Having spent many years on the field with my eyes unprotected and squinting because of the sun's intense glare, I'm continuously reminded how critical quality vision is, not only to an athlete's performance, but also in their everyday lives.  That's why I teamed up with Transitions Optical to help other people understand the importance of seeing their eye doctor regularly and wearing lenses that block 100 percent of UV rays, like Transitions® lenses."

Dr. Lampert, who has trained several professional athletes in the area of sports vision, explains how sports enthusiasts and athletes of all skill levels rely on their vision for optimal sports performance.  However, only five percent of people know that exposure to UV rays can cause long-term irreversible damage to the eyes, contributing to the development of vision conditions, including cataracts and macular degeneration, he adds.

Visser and Dr. Lampert will make appearances on national and local broadcast media to remind consumers about the need for healthy sight, not only while they cheer on their favorite teams during football season, but also while they participate in various outdoor sports and activities and watch other athletic events throughout the year.  

Dr. Lampert offers the following top tips to maintain healthy vision and stay at the top of your sport:

• Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water each day to stay hydrated
• Maintain a balanced diet and be sure to eat fruits and vegetables containing vitamins A, C and E and beta-carotene – these are good for the body and the eyes
• Consider Transitions lenses that block 100 percent of UV rays and reduce glare
• Relax your eyes – squinting increases the number of eye and head movements you make, which can negatively affect your performance
• Schedule regular health checkups, including a comprehensive eye exam

"At Transitions, we are committed to continue to raise awareness about the year-round presence and threat posed by UV rays and to remind people of the ways they can promote healthy vision, such as wearing UV-blocking eyewear and getting regular, comprehensive eye exams," said Dan McLean, communications specialist, Transitions Optical.  "Properly caring for your sight is a key step in maintaining and enjoying an active, healthy lifestyle."

For more information on how to protect your eyes and to find an eyecare professional near you, visit www.transitions.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, Inc.