NEW ORLEANS—It seems there are ECPs who are football fans who also are mindful of the old saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Count Louisiana Family Eyecare of Covington, La., and Crystal Vision Center  of College Station, Texas, among this group. The two eyecare practices were quick to see an opportunity in the controversial ending to Sunday night’s NFC conference championship game between the New Orleans Saints and visiting Los Angeles Rams. The Rams won the game in overtime, 26-23, to advance to the Super Bowl, but it was a “non-call” by the officials on a pass play late in the fourth quarter that had social media on fire shortly after the game ended. (Had the official on the field thrown his flag to indicate pass interference by a Rams defensive player (which everyone agrees it was), it is widely believed the Saints would have been in great position to kick a go-ahead field goal and leave just a few seconds on the clock for the Rams to attempt to tie the game or retake the lead.)

Shortly after the game concluded, Dr. Jeff Anastasio of Louisiana Family Eyecare (or someone at his practice) posted an offer on the practice’s Facebook page that drew a tremendous amount of media attention: The post said:

"We will GLADLY provide no cost eye exams to all NFL officials prior to next season to prevent the atrocity that occurred tonight. We would hate for someone else to feel our pain.” The post was accompanied with the hashtag #EyeExamsForAllNFLOfficials

Within the next 24 hours, Dr. Anastasio (a Vision Source practice) was getting social media mentions across the country and doing interviews and and / or getting more recognition from local and national television media, including The Today Show.

In Texas, Crystal Vision Center also stepped up with its own offer to NFL officials, tweeting after the game, “In light of the atrocious lack of calls during the New Orleans Saints game, we would like to extend free eye exams and glasses to any NFL referee in need. You know who you are.” The tweet drew hundreds of “likes” and “retweets” in just a short time in the social media space.

So while the result of the game may not have been to these ECPs’ liking, the attention they have received following their offers to provide free eye exams has to take some of the bitterness of defeat away.