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Prevent Blindness has announced that Matt MacDonald, president and global head of managed care, EyeMed Vision Care, has been named Chair-elect of the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors. The vote was held on March 14, at the 2025 Prevent Blindness Spring Board Meeting. MacDonald will succeed current Board of Directors Chair Jim McGrann, CEO of Advancing Eyecare, at the end of McGrann’s term in November of 2025.
Additionally, Prevent Blindness presented Paul G. Howes, EVP, Strategy & Business Development at Translatum Medicus Inc., with its prestigious “Louisa Lee Schuyler Award.” The award is presented to a volunteer in recognition of outstanding contributions to the mission of Prevent Blindness. Howes joined the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors in 2004 and continues today as an emeritus member, serving on various committees.
And, the Prevent Blindness Public Health and Policy Committee added new member Harris S. Schild, MD, Clinical Advocacy and Support Medical Director at Optum/UnitedHealthcare.
As President and Global Head of Managed Care at EyeMed, MacDonald leads the managed vision care business in the United States and internationally. He previously worked for Accretive Health, Accenture, and Booz & Company. He earned degrees from Northwestern University and Columbia Business School.
MacDonald currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Vision Care Plans, and is a member of the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee. He was elected to the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors in November of 2023, and served as the Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee.
“I am honored to be elected as the Chair-elect of the Board of Directors of Prevent Blindness, one of the industry’s most respected and impactful organizations, and look forward to working with Jim, the Board of Directors, Jeff Todd, and the Prevent Blindness staff on the journey to make high quality eyecare available to everyone,” said MacDonald.
Now entering its 117th year, Prevent Blindness will be launching a new Strategic Plan in April. This five-year plan is designed to advance the mission of Prevent Blindness during a time of significant organizational growth and a rapidly evolving eye health landscape shaped by breakthroughs in research, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, rising threats to children’s vision such as myopia, shifting demographics, and an aging population.
“We are excited about the direction of our new Strategic Plan, one that furthers our aim of ensuring access to high-quality eyecare to everyone,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “I’m thrilled that Matt will be taking on this new role and look forward to working with him, Jim, and the rest of our esteemed Board of Directors as we advance the goals and objectives of this plan, continuing our role as the nation’s trusted partner in eyecare.”
Prevent Blindness is declaring February as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Month in an effort to provide education and various expert-approved resources to the public and professionals. This year’s AMD and Low Vision Month is generously supported by Gold Sponsor EyePoint, Inc.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, AMD is the most common cause of severe loss of eyesight among people 50 and older. And, about 4 million Americans live with low vision, which is defined as chronic visual impairment that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or medical treatments.
AMD affects the central part of the retina called the “macula.” When AMD damages the macula, the center part of a person’s vision may become blurred or wavy, and a blind spot may develop. Early detection and treatment of AMD is key to helping to prevent significant vision loss.
Two types of AMD include:
“As our population ages, the number of individuals impacted by AMD continues to grow. Many will face difficulties doing the things we sometimes take for granted, such as reading, seeing faces, and driving,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “Our robust collection of resources on AMD and low vision are intentionally created to help minimize vision loss and maintain independence for those impacted by AMD while providing effective tools to the public and providers on ways to save sight.”
As part of AMD and Low Vision Month, Prevent Blindness offers the free AMD GuideMe app. This resource provides a customized overview of AMD along with a tailored resource list and suggested steps to help save sight from the eye disease specific to the individual using the GuideMe app. Prevent Blindness offers additional educational resources including fact sheets and shareable social media graphics in English and Spanish, and dedicated webpages.
New this year, as part of the Prevent Blindness ASPECT Patient Engagement Program Member Spotlight Series, graduate Laurie S., shares her experience with AMD, including her family history with the eye disease, how it impacts her daily activities including the ability to read music, and the importance of support groups “Age-related Macular Degeneration: Laurie’s Story.”
Videos in the Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Series include:
The Prevent Blindness “Living Well With Low Vision” program provides useful information to those with low vision, their care partners and healthcare professionals. Content includes self-help guides, resources for vision loss and mental wellness, information on clinical trials, and much more. Living Well With Low Vision is supported by grants from Amgen and Genentech.
For more information on AMD, please visit PreventBlindness.org/amd. For information on geographic atrophy, please visit PreventBlindness.org/geographic-atrophy.
And, for more information on Living Well With Low Vision, or other general eye health information, please visit lowvision.PreventBlindness.org.
For a listing of organizations and services that provide financial assistance for vision care in English or Spanish, please visit https://preventblindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information.
