The Academy’s EyeSmart® public education program informs the public about the importance of eye health and empowers them to preserve their healthy vision, by providing the most trustworthy and medically accurate information about eye diseases, conditions and injuries. Consider taking one or more of the steps below to help educate your patients and the public, and to raise the profile of your profession.

A note about cost: The Academy does not charge for links to any of its website, nor should (or can) any website or business. However, if you pay an outside contractor to update your website, you may incur additional expense for his or her time. In that case, it is recommended that you bundle any EyeSmart-related changes (such as adding a link to GetEyeSmart.org) with other planned updates to your website.

EyeSmart: The Winning Link
Link your practice website to the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart® public education website, and you could win one of three iPad 2s, pre-loaded with the Digital-Eyes Ophthalmic Animations for Patients (a nearly $400 value).

How to Enter the Winning Link Drawing

• Place a banner ad (sample at right), a prominent text link or an informational page that directs people from your website to the EyeSmart website (www.GetEyeSmart.org). The link must be up for 30 consecutive days.
  
• Once the link is created, send an e-mail to eyesmart@aao.org with the website address where Academy staff can verify the link.
• • Links created prior to the Winning Link promotion are eligible.
    
    
• Entries must be received by Feb. 17, 2012. One entry per practice.
• Entries that qualify will be entered into a drawing to win one of three iPad 2s and the Academy's Digital-Eyes Ophthalmic Animations for Patients product (one-year subscription)
• Winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries.
• Void where prohibited.
• Send questions to or request assistance from eyesmart@aao.org.

Sample Text Links, Banners and Pages

• Sample phrases to link:
  
• • GetEyeSmart.org: the best prescription for eye-health information online
  • EyeSmart: the best prescription for eye-health information online
  • GetEyeSmart.org
    
    
• EyeSmart banners and buttons
  
• Pages: Examples of how some ophthalmology practices create resource pages to link to EyeSmart
• • http://www.louisvilleeye.org/clin_diseases.html
  • http://www.rockhilleye.com/797462
  • http://bendeyes.com/services.html

Resources for Your Practice
The Academy has created a range of free EyeSmart materials for you to use to educate your patients, with the goal of having them raise awareness among their families and friends.

Practice Materials

• Order the free original EyeSmart Office Kit, which focuses on age-related eye diseases. Features six posters (including one each on diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration), info cards, a tabletop stand and a static sticker
• Order the EyeSmart Eye Injury Kit, with info cards, a poster and a tabletop stand
• Download Spanish posters to print on demand
• Embed a short EyeSmart video on your blog or practice website; videos cover topics like safely opening a champagne bottle, the importance of eye protection and the difference between various members of the eye care team
  

Promotional Kit
You can also spread the word about EyeSmart through your practice newsletter or website or outreach to local media. The EyeSmart promotional kit includes a host of articles, template press releases and sample social media posts -- even a Twitter tip sheet! -- to use in patient communications and other outreach. Materials are tied to monthly observances and organized by topic and month. Get the kit.