Students and teachers at Brooklyn’s PS 188 are joined by OneSight and LensCrafters executives at the opening of New York’s first school-based vision center.
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BROOKLYN, N.Y.—OneSight announced the opening of a LensCrafters-sponsored, school-based vision center on June 22 at PS 188 in Coney Island, Brooklyn. The result of an initiative between the United Federation of Teachers, the city Department of Education and the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone, the school-based health center will be the first of its kind in New York equipped with a permanent vision center, providing fully integrated health care to students, family members and staff, according to OneSight. With the implementation of the Brooklyn vision center, an additional 5,000 students will be provided comprehensive eye exams, glasses, adjustments and medical eyecare each year. OneSight will ensure all students receive glasses if they need them and are not covered by insurance, the organization said in a statement.


Ian Lane, senior director of global programming at OneSight, spoke about the correlation between vision and learning.
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“We know that vision goes hand in hand with learning, yet there are still one in four students in the U.S. with an undiagnosed vision correction problem,” said Ian Lane, senior director of global programming at OneSight, who delivered opening remarks at the event. “That is exactly why OneSight’s sustainable solution in the states focuses on students. We are thrilled to be leading the initiative in solving the vision problem for New York students thanks to the sponsorship of LensCrafters.”

Giorgio Candido, senior vice president and general manager LensCrafters, commented, “As a partner of OneSight for 30 years, the impact of this occasion is enormous for the brand. It marks a movement that began by our commitment to giving back to the community to provide eye exams and glasses to children around the world. More than 500 of our LensCrafters

Artist, poet and author Cleo Wade (l) and Giorgio Candido (r), senior vice president and general manager, LensCrafters, with a PS 188 student wearing glasses provided by the new school-based vision center.
associates and doctors travel internationally and domestically each year to give the gift of vision care with OneSight. Today, we are empowering permanent year-round access to PS 188 students and their families.”

Artist, poet and author Cleo Wade was on hand to support the opening of the vision center. A longtime resident of New York City and a supporter of giving back to the community, Wade called attention to the importance of providing vision care to those in need.

The new vision services will complement the medical, dental and mental health services provided by the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone. The centralized services will allow PS 188 students in need to receive care during the school day, without requiring parents to leave work or arrange alternate transportation.