In the news

The second annual Versant Health Vision Wellness Study looked at people’s perceptions of eyecare during a landmark year for the healthcare industry. Even in a year dominated by a pandemic, the study found that eyecare services endured.

This year, many children and families are excitedly—some nervously—preparing for the return to the classroom. However, there is one item on their back-to-school checklist that stands out as one of the most important steps for ensuring children’s long-term learning success—a vision screening or eye exam.

Screen time for children escalated significantly over the past year as many schools switched to virtual learning environments and embraced digital learning tools. Now, the consequences are starting to emerge—and eye health has taken a big hit. Parents will need to pay greater attention to kids’ vision problems in the coming years and will increasingly need to tap into vision insurance.

Versant Health has named Dan Dunkers as its senior vice president and chief information officer. Dunkers brings more than 30 years of experience in progressive IT, management and business thought leadership to his role.

The second annual Versant Health Vision Wellness Study looked at people’s perceptions of eyecare during a landmark year for the health care industry, including the value of eyecare services, interest in telemedicine and concerns about eyecare costs.

Davinder S. Grover, MD, MPH has joined the Medical Policy Council at Versant Health. Versant Health’s Medical Policy Council assists in assessing the managed vision care company’s medical policies, use of technologies, quality improvement and outcomes analysis.

Jennifer Wyeth has been named vice president, strategic planning, governance, and project management. The position became effective July 12. Wyeth previously served as director of operations management in MetLife’s $18 billion U.S. group benefits business.

Versant Health named Kimberly Davis as its chief financial officer. As CFO, Davis will be critical to continuing integration of Versant Health into MetLife’s overall product portfolio, supporting all Versant Health growth initiatives and driving financial success. In addition to her duties as CFO, Davis is passionate about providing mentorship to women who are aspiring leaders.

Dr. Mark Ruchman, Chief Medical Officer at Versant Health, discusses the social and financial impact of eye disease; everyday steps people can take to protect their eye health; the most common eye diseases and their financial costs; and how telemedicine is being integrated into treatment plans.