Think About Your Eyes Coalition Launches Ad Campaign and Social Media Presence
The Think About Your Eyes Coalition has launched its first television and radio advertisements to kick off a two-year public awareness campaign designed to educate Americans about the importance of annual eye exams and the benefits they can provide to overall health. The television and radio ads are currently running in nine cities across the U.S., including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Sacramento, Cincinnati and Portland, Ore.

The ads focus on a variety of eye health issues, educating consumers on topics ranging from eye disease to children’s vision and school performance to visual fatigue. They also urge consumers to visit www.thinkaboutyoureyes.com to learn more about healthy vision and to schedule an eye exam by locating a local eyecare professional through a tool available on the web site.

Consumers can also connect with Think About Your Eyes through its new social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr, all of which are accessible from the campaign’s web site. Social media activities will expand in the coming months as the Coalition prepares to execute major public awareness events, the first of which took place in New York City last month.
Essilor, Luxottica and VSP Global make up the Think About Your Eyes Coalition and are seeking partners to join in its consumer education initiative.

Hoya Lab Division Awards Grant to NSUOCO
Hoya Laboratories of America awarded a $10,000 unrestricted grant to Northeastern State University College of Optometry (NSUOCO). The grant, which is the first of five grants to be awarded by Hoya, is made possible through the Hoya Laboratories of America grant program.

NSUOCO dean Douglas Penisten, center, accepted the grant from, left to right, Iggy Fernandez, regional vice president, Hoya Dallas, Mike Elton, director of professional services, NSUOCO dean Douglas Penisten, OD, Doug Rogers, Hoya sales representative and Brent Foxworth, central regional sales manager.

Pro Fit Optix Launches Amex Gift Card Promo

In conjunction with the opening of its new Dallas distribution center and the launch of the Rodenstock PureLife and PureLife XS progressive lenses, Pro Fit Optix is offering an American Express Gift Card Rewards promotion. For every 10 pair of plastic 1.50 and Polycarbonate Progressiv PureLife lenses purchased, you will receive a $100 American Express Gift Card. For every five pairs of 1.54 ColorMatic, 1.60 and 1.67 clear Progressiv PureLife lenses purchased, Pro Fit customers will receive a $75 American Express Gift Card.

Orders must be received by October 31; entries must be received by December 2. Additional details are available through Pro Fit Optix or authorized wholesale laboratories.

Essilor Names 2010 Varilux Student Grant Winner

Essilor of America announced that Kevin Mathes from New England College of Optometry in Boston is the winner of the annual Varilux Student Grant Awards, a nationwide competition among optometry students. Seventeen students were awarded $1,000 each in grant money from Varilux, and from those winners, one national award was given.

Mathes wrote the winning case study using a creative fit for Essilor Anti-Fatigue single vision lenses, an aspheric lens designed for patients between the ages of 18 and 45 who suffer from symptoms of visual fatigue. Mathes and his staff advisor, Jim Pelham, will each receive an all-expenses paid trip for two to the joint meeting of the American Optometric Association and the American Optometric Student Association in Orlando, June 16 to 20. Mathes will be a guest at the 18th Annual Varilux Optometry Student Bowl, an annual event sponsored by Essilor, and will receive $1,000 in prize money.

Mathes’ report is available to view at www.essilorusa.com under the “Services” section.    

—Andrew Karp