Thursday, September 24, 2009

VIVIENDO CON OJOS SALUDABLES CAMPAIGN ADDRESSES EYE HEALTH ISSUES IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY

VIVIENDO CON OJOS SALUDABLES CAMPAIGN ADDRESSES EYE HEALTH ISSUES IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY

New educational campaign stresses the importance of proper eye care as a preventative measure against eye disease within the Hispanic Community. The Viviendo Con Ojos Saludables campaign will address cultural and communication barriers that have long affected the quality of care this population receives.

(PRWEB) March 1, 2002

In an effort to address eye health issues with the nation’s largest and fastest growing minority group, VISTAKON®, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., has launched Viviendo Con Ojos Saludables, a national campaign designed to educate Hispanics on the importance of vision care, a health issue that is often neglected by this community. In fact, Hispanics age 40 and older are at a higher risk of developing certain eye diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, a potentially blinding complication caused by diabetes. The Viviendo Con Ojos Saludables campaign will address cultural and communication barriers that have long affected the quality of care this population receives.

“Research shows that Hispanics are more likely to suffer from eye disease than other ethnic groups, partly due to a lack of eye health information in their language,” said Carlos Navarro, Product Director, Vistakon. “Through this campaign, we want to raise awareness of the causes and effects of eye disease, and underscore the importance of regular eye exams.”

As part of the campaign, a network of Hispanic Eye Care Professionals (ECPs) from across the country has been created to help deliver Spanish-language eye health information at the community level. The campaign is offering expertise, educational seminars and direct access to ECPs in six Hispanic key markets, including: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Chicago and Houston. Keeping with its commitment to further educate the Hispanic community on eye care, VISTAKON®, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., is sponsoring three of the United States’ most highly regarded Hispanic festivals: Miami’s Calle Ocho, Los Angeles’ Fiesta Broadway and New York’s Colombian Day Festival. The brand is also launching a first-of-its-kind Spanish-language website, www. acuvue. com/espanol (http://www. acuvue. com/espanol), where consumers will have access to eye health information, as well as the ability to learn about the ACUVUE® Brand family of products. A toll-free number (866-538-1734) has been established for Hispanic consumers to obtain additional information in Spanish.

Hispanics age 40 and older are at a high risk of glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, eye diseases that often strike without warning or symptoms and gradually lead to vision loss. A recent study found that glaucoma was the leading cause of blindness in this ethnic group. Investigators have found that the incidences of cataracts

Among Hispanics are more severe than Caucasians, particularly among Hispanic women. An eye exam can reveal signs of these and other eye diseases and disorders long before a patient experiences symptom. Seeking regular eye care increases the chances of early detection and intervention which can often reduce, postpone or even prevent vision loss that is associated with these diseases.

About Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.:

VISTAKON®, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., pioneered the concept of disposable contact lens wear in 1987 with the introduction of ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses. The ACUVUE® Brand family of lenses is most prescribed by Eye Care Professionals today. VISTAKON®, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., manufactures and markets the first, second, and third best-selling contact lenses worldwide: ACUVUE® 2 Brand Contact Lenses, 1·DAY ACUVUE® Brand Daily Disposable Contact Lenses and ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses. The ACUVUE® Brand BIFOCAL contact lens is the #1 bifocal brand in the United States. VISTAKON® also manufactures ACUVUE® Brand TORIC Contact Lenses for people with astigmatism. With the introduction of ACUVUE® 2 COLOURS™ Brand Contact Lenses, VISTAKON® provides a full family of products to meet the majority of vision care needs.

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ACUVUE is a registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.