Think About Your Eyes introduces public awareness campaign

Think About Your Eyes announced the nationwide launch of its 2015 television, radio and digital advertising campaign to educate consumers on the benefits of vision health.

The Vision Council and the American Optometric Association present Think About Your Eyes (TAYE), which spotlights the importance of annual comprehensive eye exams, with the support of nearly 20 industry partners, according to the press release from TAYE.

The group reported that its efforts in 2014 resulted in a 5% increase in total eye exams, 9.3% increase in pharmaceutical prescriptions or referrals, and nearly 25% increase in eye diseases diagnosed. A 6.7% increase in first-time eye exams, a 5% increase in exams for patients younger than 18 and a 5.5% increase in total prescriptions were also seen.

The first phase of the 2015 campaign, which began Feb. 2, “spotlights the importance of annual comprehensive eye exams and their impact on overall health, as well as the symptoms of eye strain,” TAYE said. The message is expected to reach about 29 million adults and generate 1.1 billion impressions throughout the year.

“We are thrilled with the growth to the industry that we’ve seen under this campaign – evidence that consumers are increasingly taking care of their vision – and we’re excited to once again bring this important eye health initiative to life on a national scale,” Dave Plogmann, TAYE managing director, said in the release. “Not only can eye exams help to prevent vision loss, but they can detect issues like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. We want the public to think of their annual eye exam as a regular necessity, just as they would think of their annual physical.”