Living Well with Low Vision from Prevent Blindness makes it as easy as possible for people to learn about loss of vision and how to meet daily challenges that arise from dealing with vision loss. There are resources for all, whether you are a patient, caregiver, or healthcare professional. Some resources include:
Visit lowvision.preventblindness.org for more information!
ISPB and Prevent Blindness Illinois (PBIL) have designated May as the second annual “Inherited Retinal Disease (IRD) and Genetic Testing Month.” To educate the public and allied health professionals, we offer a variety of free resources on IRDs, including educational videos featuring medical experts and individuals living with an IRD, webpages, and shareable social media graphics and fact sheets in English and Spanish.
IRDs are a group of diseases that can cause severe vision loss or even blindness and can affect individuals of all ages. An IRD is a genetic disorder, meaning a change or variant, in one or more genes that contribute to proper retinal function. Identifying the specific type of gene variant helps doctors to provide the correct diagnosis to the patient and may allow him or her to direct patients to clinical trials for therapies that may save their vision. Genetic testing is now available to identify most, but not all, gene variants that cause IRDs.
IRDs include conditions such as choroideremia, cone-rod dystrophy, Leber congenital amaurosis, retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Stargardt disease. (New Prevent Blindness downloadable fact sheets and a dedicated webpage on RP are slated to debut in May.)
We have designated the third week of May to provide education and support specifically for those with Stargardt disease and their care partners, offering resources including a dedicated webpage, social media graphics and fact sheets in English and Spanish, and videos, made possible with support from Alkeus Pharmaceuticals.
New this year, Prevent Blindness is debuting the Focus on Eye Health Series episode, “Stargardt Disease: A Conversation with Bryan and Bradford Manning of Two Blind Brothers.” Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness, speaks with the brothers about their journey with Stargardt disease, advice for parents of children with the eye disease, and their non-profit business that was created to provide funding to cure blindness. The interview will also be featured in the new Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Podcast.
Other Focus on Eye Health Series episodes related to IRDs include:
Additional IRD patient testimonials include RP patient Brenda Niccum, and cone dystrophy patient Mariagrazia Buttitta, who discuss their vision issues and vision impairment journeys. Both are graduates of the Prevent Blindness ASPECT Patient Engagement Program.
And, the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness offers the free webinar recordings Inherited Retinal Diseases and Children’s Vision and Eye Health: What You Need to Know, and Pathway to Diagnosis: Genetic Testing for Inherited Retinal Diseases.”
For more information on IRDs and genetic testing for vision issues, visit PreventBlindness.org/inherited-retinal-diseases.
For information on Stargardt disease, visit PreventBlindness.org/stargardt-disease.
For a listing of vision care financial assistance programs in English or Spanish, visit PreventBlindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information.
Those who are interested should visit: https://eyehealthillinois.org/research-grants/
Any questions can be emailed to efineman@preventblindness.org
ISPB and PBIL have declared November as Diabetes-related Eye Disease Month. Early detection and treatment of diabetes is essential, as the risk of developing significant vision loss and blindness increases the longer someone has diabetes. To help educate the public, including parents and care partners of individuals with diabetes, as well as allied health professionals, we are offering free resources that include fact sheets and social media graphics in English and Spanish, web pages, and a variety of educational videos.
For more information visit HERE
Prevent Blindness is debuting the new Prevent Blindness Children’s Vision Health Map, the first-ever online interactive tool specifically designed to display geographic variations in common children’s vision problems as well as visual impairment and blindness. Data used in the map was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System and other sources collected and reported by NORC at the University of Chicago.
Our staff, team of interns, and volunteers provide eye health education and outreach at all types of community events – including health fairs, presentations, conferences, and screenings!
November 9, 2024
10:00am – 1:00pm
State Rep 2nd Annual Housing Education & Wellness Fair
3030 N Mobile Ave – Chicago, IL
For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org
Prevent Blindness regularly issues email alerts when there is an opportunity for advocates to contact legislators in Congress with sight-saving policy and legislative updates. Advocates who are interested in making their voices heard can register with their email address at the Prevent Blindness Legislative Action Center. Advocates who register will also receive bi-monthly advocacy news and policy updates from Prevent Blindness.
If you have any questions, please email advocacy@preventblindness.org. Thank you for your commitment to preventing blindness and preserving sight!
Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness
Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | http://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/
ISPB and PBIL have declared October as Contact Lens Safety Month. The purpose of the awareness initiative is to educate the public on the proper use of contact lenses, both prescription and cosmetic. We offer fact sheets, shareable social media graphics, and dedicated webpages.
We also offer the “Contact Lens Safety” episode as part of its Focus on Eye Health Expert Series. Prevent Blindness President and CEO, Jeff Todd, discusses patient advocacy and the potential dangers of misusing contact lenses with Dr. Thomas L. Steinemann, professor of ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University.
For more information visit HERE
World Sight Day is right around the corner!
The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness, in collaboration with NASN, is excited to introduce this toolkit designed to support school nurses, school staff, parents, and caregivers. The toolkit encompasses online eye health and safety information, financial aid resources, practical tips, and engaging activity ideas for World Sight Day. Together, we aim to improve children’s vision health and readiness to learn as well as promote equity and access to eye care.
For more information visit HERE
Prevent Blindness is debuting the new Prevent Blindness Children’s Vision Health Map, the first-ever online interactive tool specifically designed to display geographic variations in common children’s vision problems as well as visual impairment and blindness. Data used in the map was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System and other sources collected and reported by NORC at the University of Chicago.
Our staff, team of interns, and volunteers provide eye health education and outreach at all types of community events – including health fairs, presentations, conferences, and screenings!
October 5-6, 2024
all day
IOA Conference
701 E Adams St – Springfield, IL
October 9, 2024
2:00pm – 5:00pm
World Sight Day Vision Screening
1 Takeda Parkway – Deerfield, IL
October 10, 2024
time tbd
World Sight Day Vision Screening
225 W Wacker Drive Lobby – Chicago, IL
For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org
Prevent Blindness regularly issues email alerts when there is an opportunity for advocates to contact legislators in Congress with sight-saving policy and legislative updates. Advocates who are interested in making their voices heard can register with their email address at the Prevent Blindness Legislative Action Center. Advocates who register will also receive bi-monthly advocacy news and policy updates from Prevent Blindness.
If you have any questions, please email advocacy@preventblindness.org. Thank you for your commitment to preventing blindness and preserving sight!
Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness
Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | http://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/
Sports Eye Safety Month
ISPB and Prevent Blindness Illinois (PBIL) have once again declared September as Sports Eye Safety Month to educate the public on the risk of painful and potentially blinding eye injuries while playing sports without the proper eye protection. Prevent Blindness HAS RELEASED NEW DATA that shows there were more than 32,600 sports-related eye injuries treated in the United States in 2023.
Types of sports-related eye injuries include blunt trauma, including retina tears or detachment, penetrating injuries, corneal scratches and abrasions. Some eye infections are contracted through water sports, with contact lens wearers at higher risk.
We recommend that athletes wear eye guards when participating in sports as prescription glasses, sunglasses and even occupational safety glasses do not provide adequate protection. Athletes, or parents of children participating in sports, should always consult an eye care professional to determine the best kind of eye protection for their sport and medical needs.
For more information visit HERE
Prevent Blindness Presentation on Mental Health Care for Blind Clients
September 24th 12:00 – 1:15pm Central Time
Prevent Blindness’ Director of Patient Advocacy and Public Health Initiatives, Julie Grutzmacher, MPH, MSW, will be joined by Shervonne Poleon, Ph.D, a recognized consultant, speaker and clinical psychologist with lived experience of age-related macular degeneration. They will speak on considerations for the clinician who plans to, is currently seeking, or is unfamiliar with blind patients for psychotherapy, counseling, or medication management
To register visit HERE
World Sight Day 2024
This year’s events kick off on September 12th on Capitol Hill, with a vision screening and Congressional Briefing aimed at bringing attention to children’s vision and the Early Detection of Vision Impairment for Children Act (EDVI). There will also be screening and education event all across the country!
For more information visit HERE
Community Happenings
Our staff, team of interns, and volunteers provide eye health education and outreach at all types of community events – including health fairs, presentations, conferences, and screenings!
October 4, 2024
9:00am – 12:00pm
Alderman Cardona Senior Health & Resource Fair
2465 N Lamon Ave Chicago, IL
October 5-6, 2024
all day
IOA Conference
701 E Adams St Springfield, IL
October 9, 2024
2:00pm – 5:00pm
World Sight Day Vision Screening
1 Takeda Parkway Deerfield, IL
October 10, 2024
time tbd
World Sight Day Vision Screening
225 W Wacker Drive Chicago, IL
For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org
Be a Voice for Vision: Sign Up for Advocacy Alerts from Prevent Blindness
Prevent Blindness regularly issues email alerts when there is an opportunity for advocates to contact legislators in Congress with sight-saving policy and legislative updates. Advocates who are interested in making their voices heard can register with their email address at the Prevent Blindness Legislative Action Center. Advocates who register will also receive bi-monthly advocacy news and policy updates from Prevent Blindness.
If you have any questions, please email advocacy@preventblindness.org. Thank you for your commitment to preventing blindness and preserving sight!
Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness
Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | http://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/
We were honored last week to join VSP on their mobile van, Odyssee. With the help of 7 volunteer doctors, we provided 145 patients with full eye exams, and 90% of them received free glasses as well!
Thank you to all the volunteers that made this possible and to our partners RefugeeOne, Hawthorne Race Track/RICF Centro de Salud, and CommunityHealth for their hospitality.
Prevent Blindness IL and ISPB has once again declared August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. The goal is to educate parents, caregivers, professionals and policy makers on the important role vision and eye health plays in a child’s development, learning ability, and social engagement. Prevent Blindness offers free materials on children’s vision issues, such as myopia (nearsightedness) and amblyopia (lazy eye), provides information on access to eye care, and encourages individuals to advocate for federal funding for state and community children’s eye health programs.
For more information visit HERE
Our staff, team of interns, and volunteers provide eye health education and outreach at all types of community events – including health fairs, presentations and screenings!
August 10, 2024
10:00am – 2:00pm
State Rep. Jimenez and State Senator Aquino’s Back to School Event
2148 N Long Ave Chicago, IL
August 10, 2024
10:00am – 12:00pm
West40 BackPack GiveBack
3801 S Central Ave Cicero, IL
August 17, 2024
10:30am – 1:00pm
Northwestern/YMCA Back to School Giveaway Health & Resource Fair
3808 W Iowa Chicago, IL
August 31, 2024
10:00am – 12:00pm
Senator Javier Cervantes Back to School Event
4800 S Western Ave Chicago, IL
October 4, 2024
9:00am – 12:00pm
Alderman Cardona Senior Health & Resource Fair
2465 N Lamon Ave Chicago, IL
For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org
Prevent Blindness regularly issues email alerts when there is an opportunity for advocates to contact legislators in Congress with sight-saving policy and legislative updates. Advocates who are interested in making their voices heard can register with their email address at the Prevent Blindness Legislative Action Center. Advocates who register will also receive bi-monthly advocacy news and policy updates from Prevent Blindness.
If you have any questions, please email advocacy@preventblindness.org. Thank you for your commitment to preventing blindness and preserving sight!
Join us as we venture out into the community and present on Eye Health and Safety. For more information please visit HERE or email rbarraza@preventblindness.org
Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness
Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | http://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/