Former professional football referee and current television rules analyst Gene Steratore is teaming with the Contact Lens Institute^™ (CLI) to promote healthy contact lens wear and care. In a new video timed to the start of football season, the well-known broadcaster encourages eye care professionals to use The EASY Way when speaking with soft contact lens patients. The video will appear on major social media platforms over the next month and is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/TBtZSFMVVb4.

“For your contact lens patients, following a few rules and instructions helps them achieve healthy and comfortable wear and care. But take it from me… people can’t always follow what they don’t understand,” says Steratore, who is a familiar face and voice in millions of homes on fall and winter weekends. “That’s why the Contact Lens Institute introduced The EASY Way—three simple steps to improve their experience. For a guy whose life has been built around rules, there are few guidelines simpler than this.”

Steratore was a professional football referee from 2003 to 2018 and a Division 1 college basketball referee from 1997 to 2018. Following his retirement from both, he has been a prominent game day rules authority for a major U.S. broadcasting network. His spot joins the recently produced “EASY as 1-2-3” video series that features eighteen prominent members of the eye care community calling on their colleagues to adopt the approach.

Now in its fourth year, The EASY Way (Eyes, Awareness, Safety and You) is used by eye care practices across the U.S., Canada, and worldwide. It includes simplified tips, attention-grabbing infographics, and companion digital resources for use in practices, presented in a memorable and straightforward way. All components are available for free download within The EASY Way resource page on ContactLensInstitute.org. At the center of the program are three easy steps:

1.   Think Clean. Wash and dry your hands every time before touching your lenses or eyes. If you wear reusable lenses, always clean and disinfect them with each removal, and clean your lens case as directed. Keep your lenses and case away from any type of water, which can contain harmful microorganisms.

2.   Remember Fresher is Better. Wear your contacts for only as long as your eye care professional says, replacing them with fresh lenses on schedule. Only wear daily disposable lenses once, and always rely on new solution for reusable lens disinfection and storage. Replace your lens case at least every three months.

3.   Trust Your Eye Doctor. Listen to your eye care professional, who has specialized training. If you have any questions, contact their office—they care about your health and great vision.

The Contact Lens Institute advances the latest innovations in safe and effective contact lens and lens care products and services that provide unique benefits to patients while satisfying the evolving needs of eye care professionals. CLI undertakes activities that properly assess, enhance, promote and balance contact lens and lens care industry welfare and growth, including the safe use of products in the marketplace. Its members include Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, and Johnson & Johnson Vision. For more information, visit contactlensinstitute.org.

Click HERE for the press release.

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