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Working with SEE International millions of people around the world have been made aware of the importance of global eye health
A thousand people can now see clearly thanks to an amazing piece of outreach by MrBeast. The YouTuber, has given the gift of sight to 1,000 people with avoidable sight loss around the world, helping with cataract surgeries and other treatment to help restore their sight. This was in collaboration with IAPB member SEE International and their Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jeff Levenson.
The video, which was released on Saturday 28th January, had almost 60 million views within three days and received much praise from across eye health sector as well as bringing the world’s media attention to the importance of avoidable blindness and poor sight.
The video highlights the large numbers of people in the USA and around the world that live with sight loss that could be prevented or treated and shows that the world has the power to change that. MrBeast then uses his own philanthropic approach to pay for 1000 surgeries and treatments as well as gifting beneficiaries with life changing amounts of money.
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness and an important cause of visual impairment across the globe. In the video Dr. Jeff Levenson of SEE International says, “Half of all the blindness in the world is people who need a 10-minute surgery”.
Commenting on the video, Peter Holland, CEO of IAPB said “It is great to see MrBeast and SEE International working together to both restore people’s sight and importantly shine a light on the importance of global eye health. The 2030 in Sight Strategy highlights how important it is to raise the profile of sight loss and eye health to a wider audience, and by working with YouTubers and other influencers we can make more people aware of the importance of eye health.
“As the voice of global eye health, IAPB is proud of our members around the world including SEE International that are working together with global leaders, organisations, and governments to end sight loss and provide accessible, available and affordable eye health to everyone by 2030.”
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.
