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Prevent Blindness is offering new resources to the public as part of its Diabetes-related Eye Disease Month in November.
According to the study, “Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy in the US in 2021,” approximately one in four Americans ages 40 and older with diabetes have Diabetic Retinopathy. A higher percentage of Black (8.7 percent) and Hispanic (7.1 percent) individuals with diabetes are at risk for vision loss compared to their White (3.6 percent) counterparts. There are significant variations by state and county which reflect related factors such as access to eye care and resources.
Diabetic retinopathy can lead to other serious vision problems including diabetes-related macular edema, cataract, glaucoma, and retinal detachment. And, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.
Fortunately, the risk of vision loss and blindness from diabetes-related eye disease can be significantly lessened if it is detected and treated early. That’s why Prevent Blindness is offering free educational resources that include webpages, fact sheets and social media graphics in English and Spanish, and a variety of educational videos.
New this year, Prevent Blindness is launching the Prevent Blindness Eye Health Audio Library offering free, 24/7 access to critical diabetes eye health information, accessible via voice commands in both English and Spanish. Patients or care partners are invited to call 1-833-998-5850 for medically vetted information on diabetes-related eye disease, eye exam preparation and scheduling, condition management strategies, and specialized guidance for pregnant patients and the newly diagnosed. Co-created with patients and providers, and supported by funding from Regeneron and Genentech, this resource is designed to provide prevention information accessible to diverse audiences.
For eye care providers, Prevent Blindness will also soon be releasing a modular education program focused on patient-centered, bias-free diabetes and vision care. Working with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology’s ophthalmic allied health professionals Continuing Education (CE) program as well as the American Optometric Association’s paraoptometric CE program, this new effort works to identify gaps in care and patient experiences. This program is also made possible through funding support from Regeneron and Genentech.
As part of the Juvenile Diabetes and Vision Health resource, new “Diabetes + Your Eyes: Vision Health in Youth” fact sheets (available in English and Spanish) are available including “Diabetes: Be Your Teen’s Vision Hero!” and “Diabetes: Your Vision, Your Life.” These resources are supported by funding from UnitedHealthcare.
The Prevent Blindness Diabetes-related Eye Disease video series includes a variety of educational videos designed for the public.
• The Patient Perspective: Diabetes-related Eye Disease
• Diabetes and Your Eyes ABCs
• Newly Diagnosed with Diabetes: What you need to know about your eyes
• Introduction to the Diabetes + the Eyes Educational Toolkit
An upcoming new Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health podcast will host a special roundtable discussion about diabetes and eye health. Guests include Rajeev S. Ramchandran, MD, MBA, associate professor of ophthalmology at University of Rochester Flaum Eye Institute; Talana Townsend, president of Visually Impaired Advocates – Houston; and Nita Sinha, senior director, Public Health at Prevent Blindness.
Finally, Prevent Blindness recently assembled its new Diabetes + the Eyes Advisory Committee. The all-volunteer committee brings together leaders from eyecare and public health, patient advocates, diabetes-education professionals, and more. Among many of the group’s charges are improving diabetes and eye health programs and education, increasing access to quality eye care and treatment, drafting and advancing federal and state policy, and promoting research and surveillance.
“By educating patients on how to prevent vision loss from diabetes and implementing systems and programs that increase access to eye care across the United States, we will empower millions of patients with diabetes to avoid unnecessary vision loss and blindness,” said Dr. Ramchandran, member of the Prevent Blindness Diabetes + the Eyes Advisory Committee.
For general diabetes-related eye disease information, please visit http://preventblindness.org/diabetes. For more information on Prevent Blindness Eye Health Audio Library, visit https://preventblindness.org/audio-library
For a free 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/.
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.
