In the latest addition to its multi-year national public awareness campaign, the American Optometric Association (AOA) is launching The Eye, an educational prototype designed to highlight the capabilities of the human eye compared to cutting-edge technology.
First, let’s discuss this over-arching campaign.
Originally launched in 2021, Eye Deserve More encourages the general public to schedule an in-person eye doctor visit and appreciate the value of making their eye health a priority for their overall health and wellbeing.
The AOA has since supported this initiative by:
- In October 2023: Launching Blink Land, its first-ever mobile board game targeting game and eye health
- In January 2024: Publishing The impact of unmanaged screen time in the United States report
- To promote healthy screen time habits, the AOA also developed a workplace-based resource guide.
What’s that about screen time?
Based on findings from the AOA’s recent survey, nearly 90% of Americans in 2016 were estimated to use digital devices for 2+ hours a day, which was maintained through the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Even further: Nearly 70% of the U.S. workforce in office jobs (104 million Americans) are exposed to excessive screen time vs just 42% of workers in other occupations.
Now talk about this new focus.
In the AOA’s own words: The Eye “draws parallels between the latest technology on the market and the advanced power of our eyes,” which “current technology cannot replicate.”
The evidence: Previous research has reported that the average adult human brain has the ability to store the equivalent of 2.5 million gigabytes of digital memory.
- Even further: Though it can’t be calculated precisely, the megapixel of the human eye—the spatial detail in an image required to show what the human eye could see when viewing a scene—is estimated to be 576 megapixels.
And The Eye is demonstrating this by … ?
Designed as a “conceptual product,” the prototype provides users with a “hypothetical exploration” of the human eye.
What it offers: Multiple features representing the real function of the eye, including its abilities in “processing billions of pathways, recalling familiar images,” as well as alerting an optometrist of over 270 potential health conditions.
So how does it work?
Users can interact with The Eye by scrolling down and through various features, each with its own infographic and insights. The sections include:
- Meet the eye
- Change your perspective
- Explore the real features
- Take a closer look
- Let the light in
- Stay ahead of your health
- Protect your tech
- A changed perspective (featuring a 90-second video)
- Included in the video: Sebastian Arrieta, The Eye’s product developer, and Belinda Starkey, OD, a practicing optometrist based in Rogers, Arkansas, and AOA Trustee.
- A changed perspective (featuring a 90-second video)
- Upgrade your care
- A “find a doctor” enables users to identify an AOA optometrist near them
Nice! What kind of promotion is the AOA doing for it?
Just this past weekend, the organization hosted a multi-day pop-up event in New York City, New York, for members of the public featuring exhibits and activities centered around The Eye’s immersive and interactive experience.
Stay tuned for future plans the AOA may have in store …