AOA’s 24/7 media advocacy puts eye exams on everyone’s radar

In April, The Washington Post ran an article about coping with low vision. It included details on adaptive devices, such as magnifiers and telescopes, and tech tools—and encouraged readers to see an AOA doctor of optometry. 

“Many visually impaired people assume that nothing can be done to improve their vision,” says Janis Winters, O.D., chair of AOA’s Vision Rehabilitation Committee. “It is important to have articles such as this to highlight devices and techniques that can enhance vision and provide resources for professionals who provide these services.” 

The article was the latest success in the AOA’s 24/7 “always on” media advocacy approach. The AOA has collaborated with national media, including ABC News, CNN and People magazine, to spread the value that doctors of optometry and the unique benefits of in-person eye exams. 

Since 2021, the AOA’s media advocacy efforts have been guided by Eye Deserve More, a national, consumer-focused campaign promoting the importance of in-person comprehensive care from an AOA doctor and driving patients to the AOA’s doctor locator. 

Last summer, the AOA used national broadcast interviews with CNN, ABC and Fox affiliates to encourage parents to add comprehensive eye exams to their children’s back-to-school checklist. The effort resulted in 4.1k media placements, 6B media impressions, and 315k visits to the AOA’s doctor locator—a 248% increase since Eye Deserve More launched in 2021. 

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The Eye 

The current iteration of Eye Deserve More leverages the buzz around new technology launches and encourages people to prioritize the tech that makes up their eye over the tech in their pockets. The AOA worked with a renowned industrial designer to create The Eye, a tech-forward representation of one of the most advanced technologies known to man: the human eye. 

The Eye’s physical components represent real capabilities of the human eye, demonstrating a level of sophistication that current technology can’t replicate. Here’s how the latest smartphone’s tech specs compare to that of the human visual system: 

• 8 GB RAM vs 2.5 M GB RAM 
• 48 MP vs 576 MP 
• 4K retina display vs 14K retina display 
• 240 FPS video vs 1,000 FPS video

The Eye launched with an immersive pop-up experience in New York City for one weekend last August, attracting more than 600 attendees. A launch post that month got twice as many shares as the latest iPhone release.

Stop by booth #1521 to experience the message about The Eye in-person at Optometry’s Meeting® | 5th World Congress of Optometry, June 25–28, in Minneapolis.