August 3, 2023
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Johnson & Johnson Vision’s ACUVUE Abiliti brand has a new back-to-school campaign that is encouraging parents to book their children’s annual eye exam. To help raise awareness of the growing myopia public health crisis, ACUVUE Abiliti has teamed up with content creators, optometrists, and patients to share their experiences and highlight the importance of yearly eye exams for children.
“As a parent of school-aged children, summer always seems to pass by in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, we are running around town checking off every item on our back-to-school list,” said ACUVUE Abiliti brand partner and father of two, Jason Hanna. “With myopia on the rise, we make it a point every year to schedule eye exams for both of our boys.”
Eye care expert, Dr. Caroline Cho, OD, DuPage Optical, Addison, IL, understands firsthand the significance of comprehensive eye exams for children. She’s treated many patients in the Chicago area for myopia, including Alexander, who started wearing glasses at a young age. Over time, he began to complain of headaches and had trouble seeing the board at school.
“My husband and I were concerned with the symptoms our son was experiencing, so we brought him to the pediatrician who suggested we meet with an eye doctor. After visiting Dr. Cho, she recommended ACUVUE Abiliti lenses for Alexander, which he wears at night while he sleeps,” said Estephanie, mother of Alexander. “Within less than a week of wearing the contacts, Alexander had 20/20 vision during the day, allowing him to go to school and play sports without needing to wear glasses or contacts. His headaches went away, he was able to see the board at school, and his overall confidence improved.”
An average of one in three kids in the United States has myopia,1,2 with most diagnosed between ages 8 and 12.3 Myopia can develop in earlier years, so it’s important for children to have annual comprehensive eye exams starting by age 5.4,5 Additionally, up to 40% of students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia or ADHD have misdiagnosed vision issues, which is another reason it’s so critical for children to meet with an eye care professional yearly.6
“Alexander’s story is just one example of why I urge all parents to schedule an eye exam with their local eye doctor before their child heads back to school this fall. These exams can help supplement a quick eye test a child may receive at their pediatrician’s office,” said Dr. Cho. “And it’s important to note that no level of myopia is safe, but if your child is diagnosed, there are many options available to help manage it.”
ACUVUE Abiliti Overnight Therapeutic Lenses have shown to be successful in myopia management among children and young adults.12 These lenses are worn overnight while the child sleeps and temporarily reshape the cornea, allowing for clear vision the next day.7,8* Abiliti Overnight lenses typically eliminate the need to wear glasses or contacts during the day.8*
“Eye health is key to children’s academic success and plays a role in early childhood development. In fact, 80% of classroom learning is done visually,”9 said Monica Jong, OD, PhD, Global Professional Education Lead for Myopia, Johnson & Johnson Vision.† “This further reinforces the importance of overall eye health and how critical it is to our well-being, even for our children. At Johnson & Johnson Vision, we’re committed to changing the trajectory of myopia, and one step in that direction is driving parents to take action and schedule a yearly comprehensive eye exam.”
On August 30, Sight For Kids, the largest, school-based eye health program that provides comprehensive eye health services to low-income schools, will be hosting free comprehensive eye care exams for eligible students at the Keys Gate Charter School in Homestead, Florida, and will feature a mobile screening unit with local optometrists in coordination with Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired and their Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program. Co-founded by the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and Johnson & Johnson Vision in 2002, Sight For Kids has screened more than 42 million students around the world, with over 600,000 students treated and 500,000 pairs of glasses provided to children in need. For every purchase of Abiliti Overnight lenses, Sight For Kids will provide a free eye exam to a child in need.
Johnson & Johnson Vision is also encouraging its employees and others to share their children’s back-to-school eye exam experience. Those interested in joining the conversation and helping to raise awareness can do so by posting on social media and using #SeeYourAbiliti.
Learn more at seeyourabiliti.com.
References
* The lenses are indicated for reducing refractive error up to 6.00D of myopia and up to 1.50D of astigmatism. Results may vary by patient and prescription level.
† Monica Jong, OD, PhD, is an employee of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., with oversight of as Global Professional Education Lead for Myopia for the Vision Care organization.
1 Vitale S et al. Increased prevalence of myopia in the US, 1971-1972, 1999-2004. Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127(12)1632-1639.
2 Theophanous C, Modjtahedi BS, Batech M, Marlin DS, Luong TQ, Fong DS. Myopia prevalence and risk factors in children. Clin Ophthalmol. 2018 Aug 29;12:1581-1587
3 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Nearsightedness: What Is Myopia? 2022 September.
4 American Optometric Association. Annual Comprehensive Eye Exam. https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-youreyes/eye-exams?sso=y
5 Morgan IG, French AN, Ashby RS, Guo X, Ding X, He M, Rose KA. The epidemics of myopia: Aetiology and prevention. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2018 Jan;62:134-149.
6 Feis, A. Learning Difficulties? Have Your Child’s Vision Checked. Midwestern University Clinics. 2022 August. https://www.mwuclinics.com/clinics/news/learning-difficulties-have-your-childs-vision-checked
7 JJV Data on File 2023. ACUVUE Abiliti Overnight Therapeutic Lenses for Myopia Management — Consolidated, Approved Claims List; U.S. Only Claims
8 Data on File 2023. Instruction For Use (FDA)
9 Vision to Learn. UCLA Study: Impact Analysis of Vision to Learn. https://visiontolearn.org/impact/ucla-study-impact-analysisof-vision-to-learn/
