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Prevent Blindness is inviting submissions for two awards.
Submission Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2023 – noon ET
The Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health is presented annually to an individual, group, or organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of public health related to vision and eye health at the community, state, national and/or international level. Among the highest honors Prevent Blindness bestows, this prestigious award consists of formal acknowledgement and a commemorative plaque to be presented at the Focus on Eye Health Summit a virtual event on July 12th or 13th, 2023. It further comes with an invitation to present on this work as a Summit speaker. The award serves as a living memorial to Jenny Pomeroy, who served as the CEO of Prevent Blindness Georgia from 1996 until 2013 and brought a passionate understanding of public health to her work and our mission.
Nominations may be made for an individual, group, or organization that has made a significant contribution to the field of public health and vision and eye health at the community, state, national, and/or international level. If awarded, the recipient or representative (if a group or organization) must be available to present at the 2023 Focus on Eye Health Summit virtually on July 12th or 13th, 2023 to receive the award. Information on previous recipients of the Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health can be found here.
Please note: Submissions not adhering to the guidelines below (page limits, word count, etc.) will not be reviewed.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 3, 2023 at noon ET. For more information, visit https://preventblindness.org/jenny-pomeroy-award-for-excellence-in-vision-and-public-health/.
Submission Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2023 – noon ET
The Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award is presented annually to a student or resident in a health-related field who submits the best overall application and essay addressing the 2023 Focus on Eye Health Summit theme: Why the Eye? This esteemed award consists of formal acknowledgement and a commemorative plaque to be presented at the Focus on Eye Health Summit virtually on July 12th or 13th, 2023. The awardee will also be invited to present their essay and related work as a Summit speaker. Information on previous recipients of the Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award can be found here.
Current student, intern, or resident located in the United States in one of the following fields of study: optometry, ophthalmology, primary health care, nursing, or other health-related field. The awardee must be available to present virtually at the 2023 Focus on Eye Health Summit on July 12thor July 13th, 2023.
Please note: Submissions not adhering to the guidelines detailed below (responding to each of the three individual essay section, page limits, word count, etc.) will not be considered for the award.
TOPIC: Identify a public health opportunity to advance vision and eye health in the United States through public health policy, practice, or research. Respond to each section below separately with clearly defined sections.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 3rd, 2023 at noon ET. For more information, visit https://preventblindness.org/rising-visionary-award/.
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.
