J&J’s new Acuvue back-to-school campaign reminds parents to get children’s vision checked

Johnson & Johnson is giving parents an extra item to check off their back-to-school lists — eye exams. A new J&J Vision campaign from its Acuvue Abiliti brand focuses on myopia, or nearsightedness, in children and the importance of a comprehensive eye exam. Abiliti lenses are worn overnight while a child — or adult — sleeps and work to temporarily reshape the cornea to allow for better sight during the day without eyeglasses.

The social media campaign enlists influencer parents and physicians to post about their personal experiences as well as why eye exams are important for kids. The posts include links to the Abiliti website which includes a myopia assessment quiz and a prescriber finder tool.

In one sponsored Instagram post, “2 Dallas Dads,” Jason Hanna, who is raising twin boys with his husband, talks about “prioritizing” exams for his kids this year, adding “I remember having friends in school that struggled with seeing the board in class, so I want to ensure my kiddos are set up for academic success.”

Lisa McAlister

Most schools do require vision screenings for children, but they’re typically simple eye chart tests rather than full ophthalmic exams. One in three kids has myopia, which is usually diagnosed between ages 8 and 12, although it can develop earlier, said J&J Vision global myopia lead Lisa McAlister, underlining the importance of an exam that will check for eyeball elongation.

“Everybody thinks it’s normal for your prescription to go up every year and we’re out educating that ‘no, it’s not normal.’ It means your eyes are lengthening. We want to do everything we can to limit that because of sight-threatening complications that come along with it,” she said.

J&J Vision reported $4.85 billion in 2022 sales, as part of J&J’s Medtech division, with contact lens sales accounting for $3.54 billion. The Acuvue Abiliti lenses to treat myopia got FDA approval in May 2021 and launched in the US later that year.

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