One in four schoolchildren in the U.S. has a vision problem significant enough to affect their ability to learn. Yet millions of these kids do not have the vision correction they need because they face the barriers of awareness, access and affordability. HPC Puckett & Company is dedicated to helping people in underserved communities get essential vision care by supporting Essilor Vision Foundation (EVF).

HPC Puckett & Company is a merger and acquisition advisory firm with more than 26 years of experience in the optical industry. Founder and Managing Director Thomas Puckett has a long history of involvement in the industry as well. His many achievements include founding the Optical Pioneers organization in 1999, receiving the Optical Pioneers Hall of Fame award in 2011, and receiving The Vision Council’s Director’s Choice Award in 2015 for his outstanding contributions to the ophthalmic industry.

EVF is delighted to announce that HPC Puckett & Company is contributing $25,000 to the 2021 Golf Classic scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 2, at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, Texas. The company is the first to donate to this year’s event, and their donation brings their total contributions to $125,000 since they started supporting EVF in 2017.

“EVF’s helping people in need see better, made possible by Essilor’s and others’ hard work and generosity, is so rewarding,” Puckett says. “We are honored to be a small part of this organization and the great work they do.”

HPC Puckett & Company’s donation enables EVF to address the barriers to vision care – awareness, access and affordability – and to change people’s lives:

• Awareness: Vision impairment is one of the most prevalent disabling conditions among children in the U.S., yet often kids don’t ask for the help they need because they don’t know they can’t see clearly. To them, blurry vision is normal. Additionally, 44% of parents are not aware that behavioral problems can be a sign that a child’s vision is impaired.
• Access: While some state laws require vision screenings, there is a large gap between the need for and access to vision care. Once a child has been identified with a vision impairment, many children do not have the resources to receive treatment. There are a number of other barriers to access for kids such as a parent can’t miss work; parents often don’t know where to take their child for vision services; or there may not be a provider conveniently located in their area.
• Affordability: 53% of children of families living in poverty have uncorrected vision problems that interfere with reading, writing, and classroom learning. Research shows that patients without health insurance have notably lower rates of use of eye care services than those with insurance.

“Tom and Carol Puckett have been very generous with their gifts to Essilor Vision Foundation,’’ says Kevin Rupp, Chairman of the Board. “Their commitment and support are greatly appreciated by all of us at EVF and make it possible for us to continue to provide critical vision care to people in need.”

Visit www.evfusa.org to learn more about how the foundation and its donors are working to bring vision services to those who need it the most.

Media Contact: Meredith Marmurek | Email: meredith.marmurek@essilorusa.com | 214-850-3642