On World Sight Day, Take The #EyePledge With Johnson & Johnson Vision Care

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sight is one of the most valued of the five senses, but good vision doesn't necessarily indicate good eye health. That's why VISTAKON^® Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. (JJVCI) has launched a worldwide campaign asking people to "Take the #EyePledge" and promise to get their eyes tested in honor of World Sight Day, October 10.  The #EyePledge campaign supports a global call-to-action to "Get Your Eyes Tested" by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), coordinator of World Sight Day.

The #EyePledge includes two simple steps individuals can take to demonstrate their personal commitment to get an eye exam and raise awareness of the broader global cause:

• Take an "eye selfie" photo; and
• Post the photo through the Donate A Photo App by Johnson & Johnson with #EyePledge, or share on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #EyePledge, and promise to get your eyes tested. 

To further the impact of an #EyePledge, participants can use the Johnson & Johnson Donate A Photo app to generate contributions to Sight for Kids, a partner program of JJVCI and Lions Clubs International Foundation. For every photo uploaded on behalf of Sight for Kids, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1, up to $30,000*, to help the charity provide eye exams to needy children. Sight for Kids has provided free vision screenings to more than 17 million children in Asia Pacific since 2002. Participants can post up to one photo per day using the app, which is available from the App Store or Google Play.

"Sharing eye photos through Donate A Photo will make a measurable difference in the ability of Sight for Kids to reach more children who may not have access to eye care," said Wayne Madden, Chairperson of Lions Clubs International Foundation. "Eye correction can be life-changing for many of these children who for the first time may gain clear vision and in turn realize their potential."

Users without smart phones can also demonstrate their commitment to eye health by posting their eye selfie photos and commenting using #EyePledge on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

An eye exam is the first step in diagnosis and treatment of eye-related conditions. Approximately 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired[i]. The leading cause of visual impairment is Uncorrected Refractive Error (nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism). While it is a major international public health issue, 80 percent of this visual impairment can be avoided or corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery.

World Sight Day is an annual day of awareness to focus global attention on blindness and visual impairment.  While 90 percent of the world's visually impaired live in developing countries,[ii] there are more than 21 million people in the U.S. age 18 or older who report experiencing vision loss,[iii] and approximately one in five school-aged American children have a vision problem.[iv]

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. is committed to creating life-long solutions to vision care needs.  Since the ACUVUE^® Brand made its debut in 1987 as the world's first disposable soft contact lens, the company has repeatedly brought innovative, quality, and scientific advancements to the industry.  Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the company has some 3,000 employees worldwide. For additional information, visit www.jnjvc.com.

Lions Clubs International Foundation
Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) is the charitable arm of Lions Clubs International, the world's largest service club organization with more than 1.35 million members around the world. Established in 1968, LCIF and its partners have been preventing avoidable blindness and providing sight services on a global scale for more than 20 years through the SightFirst program. Lions are investing US$415 million in SightFirst and have helped to restore sight to millions worldwide. Learn more at lcif.org."

Third party trademarks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

* Johnson & Johnson has curated a list of trusted causes, and you can donate a photo to one cause, once a day. Each cause will appear in the app until it reaches its goal, or the donation period ends. If the goal isn't reached, the cause will still get a minimum donation.

[i] World Health Organization. Visual impairment and blindness (2012, para. 1) Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/index.html

[ii] World Health Organization. Visual impairment and blindness (2012, para. 1) Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/index.html

[iii] American Foundation for the Blind. Facts and Figures on Adults with Vision Loss (2013) Retrieved from: http://www.afb.org/section.aspx?SectionID=15&TopicID=413&DocumentID=4900#demographics

[iv] Ethan, D., Basch, C. E., Platt, R., Bogen, E. and Zybert, P. (2010), Implementing and Evaluating a School-Based Program to Improve Childhood Vision. Journal of School Health, 80: 340–345. doi: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00511.x  Accessed at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00511.x/abstract

SOURCE VISTAKON(R) Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.