Tyreke Evans, 2010 Rookie of the Year

2010 has been a big year for me. As I think about the start of the new year, I’m reminded about the importance of setting goals and following dreams. Here are some of my resolutions for the upcoming year: 

Appreciate the little things - I’m very blessed that I get to focus on playing basketball every day. It’s something I love to do. Sometimes we get going so fast, we don’t stop to appreciate the life we’ve been blessed with. 

Good health - We all have health issues we deal with occasionally. My goal is to stay as healthy as possible in 2011. 

Play hard - It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to play sports at this level. I’ve made a commitment to this game and will continue to give my best every single day. 

Spend time with family - Family is important, and I plan to spend as much time with mine as I can in 2011. 

And, of course, I will also be getting my annual eye exam to start the year off right. Vision is a very important part of my life, and I plan to take care of my eyes by visiting my VSP doctor. Make sure that’s something you include on your list of things to do in the new year. 

Happy New Year to everyone. 

Tyreke

VSP will sponsor the Eyecare Center on the Dr. Oz Show’s website from now till mid-November. We will work together to update the center with helpful tips and informational videos and articles on eye health.

Take a peek and share with your peeps!

3-D is a topic that carries across all generations and genres and here’s are just a few of the bloggers from various focuses that found this video and topic worth sharing:

• BlogHer: Bill Nye the Science Guy is becoming a Mythbuster (sort of)
• Cinematical: Get Seasick in 3-D movies? Bill Nye is Here to Help
• Crunch Gear: Bill Nye the Science Guy (!) Explains why 3-D movies can make you sick
• The Movie Blog: Bill Nye the Science Guy talks 3D Disorientation!
• Pulse 2: Bill Nye is Back and He’s Doing a YouTube Channel for VSP Vision

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check back with us every week as Bill Nye, along with VSP provider Dr. Phelps, continue to debunk common eye health myths in VSP’s EyeFiles webisode series. In the meantime, check out the Today Show clip on 3-D and overall eye health. 

Be sure to visit VSP’s Facebook - Contest tab for your chance to win a FREE pair of Glasses/Sunglasses through the Eyewear Makeover Contest.

To help educate Americans on eye health and debunk common myths, VSP has  created a series of webisodes called VSP EyeFiles featuring the iconic Bill Nye the Science Guy and Dr, Roger Phelps, a VSP provider.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As part of this initiative, VSP Vision Care sent an online survey to VSP doctors across the country, asking them for the most common vision-related myths they hear from their patients on a regular basis.

The VSP doctor myth research survey revealed that:

Myth: Working many hours in front of a computer screen will harm your eyes.

Fact: 31 percent of doctors say they hear this myth on a daily basis. Although using computers will not damage vision, fatigue, headaches, neck pain or eye strain may occur with use over extended periods of time. This overuse can result in a serious condition called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). To help prevent CVS remember the 20-20-20 rule; every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away.

Myth: Wearing glasses tends to weaken the eyes.

Fact: 24 percent of doctors say they hear this myth on a daily basis. Glasses do not weaken eyes. Eyes lose the ability to focus on near objects as people get older, a natural digression called presbyopia. Presbyopia, which means “old eye” in Greek, becomes noticeable between the ages of 38 and 42. The bottom line is glasses do not weaken eyes; rather eyes naturally become weaker with age.

Myth: Sitting too close to the television will harm your eyes.

Fact: 11 percent of doctors say they hear this myth on a daily basis. Despite what your mother told you as a kid, sitting closer than necessary to the television may cause headaches, but will not cause eye damage.

Other alarming myths that VSP doctors heard from patients on a regular basis included:

Myth: As long as your eyes don’t hurt, you can wear contact lenses 24/7.

Fact: If your contacts aren’t the overnight-approved, extended wear variety, don’t treat them that way. Daily wear contacts need nightly soaks to clean and disinfect them. Contacts are a great alternative for lenses, but proper contact care is needed to prevent eye irritation and infection.

Myth: Children do not need to have their vision tested until they are at least 5.

Fact: The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends a six-month eye exam to make sure the baby’s eyes are developing correctly and to scan for serious problems such as cataracts and tumors. Eighty percent of what we learn is through our eyes, and one in four students has a visual impairment problem. One study shows a whopping 85 percent of America’s pre-schoolers haven’t received a vision exam by age five. Experts recommend that children see their eye doctor at six months, between the ages of 2 and 3, before entering kindergarten, and annually thereafter to ensure their eye health and learning progression.

Myth: If you can see fine, your eyes are healthy and you don’t need an exam.

Fact: Many eye and vision problems have no obvious signs or symptoms. It is important to make annual visits to an eye doctor to receive comprehensive eye exams. Through an exam an eye doctor can detect signs of serious health conditions including diabetes, brain tumors, and high cholesterol, before physical symptoms are present.

Myth: You cannot get cataracts unless you wear glasses.

Fact: Cataracts are caused by the aging and deterioration in the lens of the eyes. This is a normal process that occurs in about half of adults between the age of 65 and 75. Everyone can develop cataracts, no matter if they wear glasses or not, in fact, glasses can actually help postpone cataract surgery.

Research Methodology:

• VSP sent an online invitation to 1,200 VSP doctors inviting them to participate in the survey; 143 doctors responded, resulting in a 12 percent response rate.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What do you think? Curious to hear the thoughts of Dr. Kevin Pho, Jesus Diaz, FitSugar, Ken Denmead, and Richard Lawler on the topic as well.

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. — An estimated 11 million Americans have uncorrected vision problems — from near- or far-sightedness to sight-threatening diseases. That’s why everyone should get an annual eye exam, starting at six months old — it’s as important as regular trips to the dentist. To educate people about eyesight and overall vision health, VSP Vision Care, the nation’s largest eyecare benefits provider, today kicked off its ‘See Much More’ campaign.

The See Much More initiative includes a fun, interactive website with loads of useful information and resources about eyesight and vision health, including:

• A fast-paced video with interesting facts and things you may not know about your eyes
• Tips everyone can follow to immediately improve their vision health
• Information about how vision coverage helps keep eyecare affordable by reducing the cost of eye exams, eyewear and other vision-related health services
• Daily surveys about eyesight and vision health
• Community features, such as links to VSP’s blog, Twitter feed, Facebook page and resources for finding a doctor
• Fun, interactive games and social networking applications will be added throughout the fall enrollment drive

“The goal of the See Much More website is to remind members and potential members how valuable their vision is in all aspects of their lives — personally, professionally and physically,” said Kate Renwick-Espinosa, Vice President of Marketing at VSP. “While vision coverage itself might not seem exciting, it is important and it impacts our lives in deeply meaningful ways. We want to help people learn about it in a fun, easy and accessible way.”

Learn more about taking care of your eyesight at www.SeeMuchMore.com. Whether it’s to make sure your kids can see well at school, to know that your spouse can see the road perfectly, or to be confident you can always be productive at work, great vision is vital for your health and well-being.

Photos

Twitter Pitch

Your eyesight is important. If you haven’t seen an eye doctor lately, see what you’re missing at SeeMuchMore.com

Tweet It!

News Facts

• Nearly 80% of what a child learns is obtained visually… however, 1 in 4 have undetected vision problems.
• 65 million Americans have never had their eyes checked. Ever.
• Diabetes causes 18,000 new cases of blindness in the US every year.
• Eyestrain is the most common workplace-related health complaint today.
• See much more at SeeMuchMore.com.

Viral Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Resource Links

See Much More

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VSP’s Facebook Fan Page

About the VSP Family of Companies
VSP Global includes VSP Vision Care, the largest not-for-profit vision benefits and services company in the United States with 55 million members; Marchon Eyewear Inc., one of the world’s largest manufacturers, designers and distributors of quality fashion and technologically-advanced eyewear and sunwear; Eyefinity/Officemate which offer innovative solutions and the premier management software and technology to improve overall practice management and patient experience; and VSP Labs, industry leaders in new technologies, production processes, service and logistics.

Since 1997, VSP has provided more than 529,500 low-income, uninsured children with free eyecare. Through relationships including those with the American Diabetes Association and Prevent Blindness America, VSP promotes the importance of annual eye exams for maintaining eye health and overall wellness.

Press Contact:
Liz Baidoo
VSP Corporate Public Relations

Andy G. is a member of VSP's Sales Team.

I am not an athlete. I’m a nerd.

In elementary school, I failed the President’s Physical Fitness Test. In high school, the most time I spent on a court or field was in the stands, playing with the pep band. In my job as a technical communicator at VSP, the heaviest lifting I do involves right-clicking a mouse. The physical exertion my kids expend in one hour will exceed the average physical exertion I expend in two months. One of my nicknames is “Android.” How nerdy is that? I am not an athlete.

As an adult, I face an uphill battle trying to stay at my ideal weight, in my right size pants, and out of the doctor’s office.

That’s why I’m a willing participant in a wellness program at VSP called GetFIT.

What’s GetFIT?

For a 16-week period, VSP employees commit to report their weekly physical activity and weight loss (or gain) online. For some, the activity is recorded in minutes, for others, the activity is recorded in pedometer step counts.

We set personal goals, and take up long-desired hobbies or activities. One of my goals is to commute to work on bicycle two to three days a week. In goal-setting, we learn to publicize our goals, so others hold us accountable. So, there, I shared my goal with all of you readers. Yes, incredible timing; Sacramento’s summer heat wave has arrived.

GetFit Tips
Along the way, the VSP wellness coordinators and team captains keep the participants motivated with tips, resources, reminders, and words of encouragement. The resources are our own or developed in partnership with other reputable health and wellness organizations.
For instance, this tip appeared on our wellness site:

Eat 4-5 smaller meals rather than 2 or 3 big ones. Why? It helps stabilize blood sugar and helps control your appetite.

Although that tip seems like a no-brainer, several coworkers were honest with themselves and admitted to not following that practice, by skipping breakfast. By lunch or dinner, they’re starving, resulting in over-eating or making impulsive choices.

Who benefits?
We all benefit from our participation.

• If I and my teammates improve our health and wellness, we don’t call in sick as often or spend unnecessary hours in the doctor’s waiting rooms, and we don’t create stress on our coworkers’ productivity.
• If we don’t spend money in the doctor’s office or in the pharmacy, we don’t add to our company’s health care costs.
• If we exercise and eat right, we decrease the risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions that affect our eyes. Imagine the positive effect that will have on our families’ future.

Does it work?
Yes, this program works.
At the end of the 16 weeks, we tally the results and celebrate our victories, recognizing those teams and individuals with the most weight loss, most minutes of activity, or most pedometer step counts.

VSP employees just completed a 16-week session. 314 VSP employees recorded 854, 358 activity minutes and 22.9 million pedometer steps! We lost 1,131 pounds! One individual lost 40 pounds in the 16 weeks!

So what’s in it for you?
We’ve been so successful, that VSP has made the program available to you or anyone who visits the GetFIT page on vsp.com. We hope that our clients offer a GetFIT program to their employees, using these resources, weekly inspirations, 16-week activity tracking logs, tips, and links to other wellness sites.

I invite you to “get with the program.” GetFIT.