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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Spectera creates a spectacle at IU School of Optometry

Managed vision program donates thousands of eyeglass frames

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Spectera Inc., one of the nation's largest managed vision care programs, honored the Indiana University School of Optometry today (May 20) with a donation of eyeglass frames for the school's participation in Volunteer Optometric Services for Humanity (VOSH), as well as for other teaching programs and community outreach activities.

In recognition of the school's efforts, representatives of Spectera donated 3,000 pairs of eyeglass frames, valued at more than $200,000. The donation was accepted by Dr. Douglas Horner, associate professor at the IU School of Optometry and the adviser for IU's student chapter of VOSH. Joining Horner were Dr. Dan Gerstman, the school's associate dean for finance, and Dr. Jennifer Page, one of the supervisors at the IU optometry clinic in Guanajuato, Mexico.

VOSH is a national organization aimed at helping people who do not have access to eye care. Among other activities, members dispense recycled eyeglasses on trips to Latin American countries. In recent years, because of the success of IU's annual student VOSH trip to Guanajuato, the School of Optometry has started a year-round clinic for people in the local community who cannot afford eye care. The clinic is staffed by both faculty and students.

"We are in the business of preserving and restoring vision," said David T. Hall, CEO and president of Spectera. "In addition, the majority of the professionals in our Indiana provider network graduated from the Indiana University School of Optometry, and this donation will honor them. We also have established a relationship with VOSH International and wanted to support the IU program."

"Spectera's national sales headquarters is located in Indiana, and our employees wanted to make a contribution to the community," added Tom Davis, the company's executive vice president, as he made the presentation. "I'm really pleased to be able to express our admiration for our colleagues at Indiana University and our many Indiana providers in such a tangible way." Davis, an Indiana native who is based in Indianapolis, heads the company's sales and marketing divisions.

"Just this month an IU-supported eyeglass manufacturing laboratory began in Guanajuato, and these Spectera frames will be a critical contribution to the mission of that laboratory, allowing us to prescribe precisely for our Guanajuato patients. Recycled eyeglasses work pretty well, but making new glasses would be a great advance," Horner said.

Spectera Inc.

Spectera, a division of Specialized Care Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, is a $200 million vision care company that serves over 10 million people nationwide. Spectera has more than 40 years of experience in the vision care industry and is one of the top vision benefits companies in the United States. Spectera provides group vision care benefit plans through a network of over 17,000 private practice and retail optical providers across the country. The company operates 67 vision care facilities -- including United Optical retail stores -- and an optical laboratory that will fill more than 500,000 prescriptions this year. More information about Spectera is available at https://www.spectera.com.

Indiana University School of Optometry

Consistently ranked among the top three optometry schools in the nation, the Indiana University School of Optometry on the Bloomington campus has received national recognition for its preeminence in optometric education. The faculty is nationally and internationally known. Students are able to interact with faculty in several different settings: class, laboratory, research, mentor programs and professional organizations. The school's building contains everything that students need: classrooms, laboratories, clinic, library, offices and a lounge area. The mission of the School of Optometry is to protect, advance and promote the vision, eye care and health of people worldwide by preparing individuals for careers in optometry, the ophthalmic industry and vision science and by advancing knowledge through teaching, research and service. More information about the School of Optometry is available at https://www.opt.indiana.edu/.

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