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May 2023 Newsletter from ISPB & PBIL

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Ultraviolet (UV) Awareness Month

As the warmer weather begins to encourage more outdoor activities, ISPB and PBIL have declared May as Ultraviolet (UV) Awareness Month.

There are two types of UV rays: UV-A and UV-B. Over time, the effects of UV rays help cause a number of eye problems. UV-A rays may affect central vision. They can damage the macula, a part of the retina at the back of the eye. The front part of the eye (the cornea and the lens) absorbs most UV-B rays, but these rays may cause even more damage to the eyes than UV-A rays.

Prevent Blindness strongly recommends wearing UV-blocking sunglasses as well as a brimmed hat to provide the best protection against UV rays. Sunglasses should:

  • reduce glare
  • filter out 99-100% of UV rays
  • be comfortable to wear
  • not distort colors

Find more information and resources HERE

Annular Solar Eclipse, October 14, 2023

An annular solar eclipse, often described as a “ring of fire” will be visible from parts of the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. all the way to the Gulf of Mexico on October 14, 2023.

Never look directly at the sun during a solar eclipse (except during the very brief time the sun is in total eclipse; and even then, with caution). Looking directly at the sun can cause permanent damage to your eyes. 


Use expert-approved solar eclipse glasses to view a solar eclipse safely and without damaging your eyes.

For more information visit HERE
Purchase eclipse glasses from our online retail partner HERE

Volunteer Sophia Rodriguez helping out at the PAV-YMCA Healthy Kids Day on April 29th 2023

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 and screenings! We will be continuing our efforts during these dates:

May 5, 2023
10:00am – Summit Community Health Fair: Summit, IL
May 10, 2023
9:00am – Well Women Day Celebration Health Fair : Cicero, IL
May 20, 2023
11:00am – Englewood Empowerment Expo: Chicago, IL
May 31, 2023
9:00am – Senior Health & Fitness Day: Northbrook, IL
June 2, 2023
11:00am – The Bloc Chicago Food Pantry: Chicago, IL

For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org

Upcoming Webinars

Inherited Retinal Diseases and Children’s Vision and Eye Health:  What You Need to Know

Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 3:00-4:30 ET – Register Here

With a focus on children living with an inherited retinal disease (IRD), this webinar will cover causes, diagnosis, genetic testing, treatment (including gene therapy), and support for children and families. Learn more about the target audience and list of speakers at the registration link above. IRDs are caused by at least one gene that is not working as it should. They can affect people of all ages, can progress over time, and are rare; and they can cause severe vision loss or even blindness. A few examples are Retinitis Pigmentosa, Choroideremia, Stargardt Disease, Leber Congenital Amaurosis, and Cone-rod Dystrophy. Learn more at Inherited Retinal Diseases – Prevent Blindness.

Looking for a Presentation for your Organization?

PBIL/ISPB offers presentations on a variety of eye health topics that can range from from 30 to 60+ minutes.

Some topics include:

  • Living Well with Low Vision
  • Aging and Your Eyes
  • Women’s Vision and Eye Health
  • Eye Safety in the Workplace
  • Diabetes and the Eyes

Contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org to schedule a presentation today!

Research Grants

ISPB offers unique grant opportunities supporting mentored pre-clinical or clinical research programs designed to foster junior investigator development while advancing clinical care in ophthalmology and optometry.

Please Note: APPLICATIONS are due on May 10, 2023 by midnight with awards announced in June. Checks are issued once grant recipients provide the final paperwork. Research projects must be completed by June 30th of the following calendar year.

For more information visit HERE

Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness

Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | https://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/

Make a donation to ISPB
Subscribe to Newsletter

April 2023 Newsletter from ISPB & PBIL

Make a donation to ISPB

Women’s Eye Health & Safety Month

Prevent Blindness and ISPB/PBIL have declared April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month in an effort to educate the public on the increased risk for women and vision health issues, as well as steps that can be taken to prevent vision loss.

According to the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR), the following eye diseases and conditions occur more frequently in women:

  • Refractive Error – 26 percent more women than men over the age of 12 have uncorrected visual impairment due to refracted error
  • Dry Eye – Two times more women than men over the age of 50 have dry eye disease
  • Age-related Macular Degeneration – 65 percent of individuals in the United States with Age-related Macular Degeneration are women
  • Cataract – 61 percent of individuals in the United States with cataract are women
  • Glaucoma – 67 percent of individuals in the United States with glaucoma are women
  • Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) – TED is 5-6 times more common in women than men

Find more information and resources HERE

We are extremely grateful to have received a generous gift from Ascension of our Lord Greek Orthodox Church in Lincolnshire. Thank you for believing in our mission!
ISPB Executive Director Elyse Fineman and Dreiske Awardee Bonnie Huang at the ISEPS-COS Meeting

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 and screenings! We will be continuing our efforts during these dates:

April 4, 2023
10:00am – Lake County Health Fair: Zion, IL
April 11, 2023
10:00am – Lake County Health Fair: Grayslake, IL
April 12, 2023
10:00am – NEIU Health Fair: Chicago, IL
April 13, 2023
5:00pm – Darien Parent Fair: Darien, IL
April 13, 2023    
1:00pm – Women’s Vision and Eye Health Presentation: Northbrook, IL
April 18, 2023
10:00am – Lake County Health Fair: Round Lake Beach, IL
April 25, 2023
10:00am – Lake County Health Fair: Antioch, IL
May 5, 2023
10:00am – Summit Community Health Fair: Summit, IL
May 10, 2023
9:00am – Well Women Day Celebration Health Fair : Cicero, IL
May 20, 2023
11:00am – Englewood Empowerment Expo: Chicago, IL

For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org

We are thrilled to be the recipients of several pieces of donated eye exam equipment from Pioneer International and HEINE. They will be put to good use at our mobile eye exam clinics around the state. 

Looking for a Presentation for your Organization?

PBIL/ISPB offers presentations on a variety of eye health topics that can range from from 30 to 60+ minutes.

Some topics include:

  • Living Well with Low Vision
  • Aging and Your Eyes
  • Women’s Vision and Eye Health
  • Eye Safety in the Workplace
  • Diabetes and the Eyes

Contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org to schedule a presentation today!

Research Grants

ISPB offers unique grant opportunities supporting mentored pre-clinical or clinical research programs designed to foster junior investigator development while advancing clinical care in ophthalmology and optometry.

Please Note: APPLICATIONS are due on May 10, 2023 by midnight with awards announced in June. Checks are issued once grant recipients provide the final paperwork. Research projects must be completed by June 30th of the following calendar year.

For more information visit HERE

Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness

Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | https://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/

Make a donation to ISPB
Subscribe to Newsletter

March 2023 Newsletter from ISPB & PBIL

Workplace Eye Wellness Month

ISPB and PBIL have declared March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month in an effort to help keep eyes healthy, safe and protected on the job. Whether a job is on an industrial or construction site, or in an office setting, protecting vision should always be a priority.

To help employers educate workers on eye protection and safety, we offer a Workplace Safety module as part of a free program, the Healthy Eyes Educational Series. The module includes a Presentation Guide and corresponding PowerPoint slides. We also offer a variety of workplace eye safety fact sheets and shareable social media graphics.

Find more information and resources 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 and screenings! We will be continuing our efforts during these dates:

March 18, 2023
9:00am – Evanston Senior Health and Resource Fair: Evanston, IL
March 19, 2023
11:30am – Low Vision Presentation: Lincolnshire, IL
March 30, 2023
11:00am – Senior Resource Fair: Chicago, IL
April 4, 2023
10:00am – Lake County Health Fair: Zion, IL
April 11, 2023
10:00am – Lake County Health Fair: Grayslake, IL
April 12, 2023
10:00am – NEIU Health Fair: Chicago, IL
April 13, 2023    
1:00pm – Women’s Vision and Eye Health Presentation: Northbrook, IL
April 18, 2023
10:00am – Lake County Health Fair: Round Lake Beach, IL
April 25, 2023
10:00am – Lake County Health Fair: Antioch, IL
May 5, 2023
10:00am – Summit Community Health Fair: Summit, IL

For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org

Looking for a Presentation for your Organization?

PBIL/ISPB offers presentations on a variety of eye health topics that can range from from 30 to 60+ minutes.

Some topics include:

  • Living Well with Low Vision
  • Aging and Your Eyes
  • Women’s Vision and Eye Health
  • Eye Safety in the Workplace
  • Diabetes and the Eyes

Contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org to schedule a presentation today!

Congratulations to the 2022 ISPB Grant Award Recipients! Bonnie, Sana, and Jacob will have the opportunity to accept their awards at this week’s ISEPS-COS Annual Meeting in Rosemont on March 10th.


For more information regarding 2023 research grants, visit HERE

Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness

Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | https://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/

Make a donation to ISPB
Subscribe to Newsletter

February 2023 Newsletter from ISPB & PBIL

Thank you Horizon Therapeutics!

We are extremely pleased to announce that ISPB has receieved a grant from Horizon Therapeutics to support our low vision equipment reimbursement program! Their generous funds will help hundreds of people who are blind or living with low vision access needed equipment to lead more independent lives. More information will be forthcoming! To learn about the program, please check it out HERE.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration
AMD is an eye disease that is a leading cause of vision loss for Americans ages 50 and older. It affects central vision, where sharpest vision occurs, causing difficulty conducting daily tasks such as driving, reading, and recognizing faces.

As part of February’s National Age-Related Macular Degeneration Month, ISPB and Prevent Blindness are offering a wide variety of free resources to the public to help educate and empower individuals and their care partners to make informed decisions about their vision and eye health.Find more information and resources HERE

Looking for a Presentation for your Organization?

PBIL/ISPB offers presentations on a variety of eye health topics that can range from from 30 to 60+ minutes.

Some topics include:

  • Living Well with Low Vision
  • Aging and Your Eyes
  • Women’s Vision and Eye Health
  • Eye Safety in the Workplace
  • Diabetes and the Eyes

    Contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org to schedule a presentation today!

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 and screenings! We will be continuing our efforts during these dates:

March 18, 2023
9:00am – Evanston Senior Health and Resource Fair, Fleetwood-Jourdain Center, Evanston
March 19, 2023
11:30am – Low Vision Presentation, Ascension of Our Lord Greek Orthodox Church, Lincolnshire
April 13, 2023 
1:00pm – Women’s Vision and Eye Health Presentation, Northbrook Park District Leisure Center

For more information, please contact rbarraza@efineman

Be My Eyes

Be My Eyes is a free app that provides support to those who are blind and/or have low vision. Volunteers and professionals use their sight to help solve big and small tasks for those who need support. 

Those who have low vision, or are blind, use their camera enabled smartphone to video call a volunteer who can help them. It is a great resource that helps those with visual impairments receive the support they need. They offer free, unlimited access to eyesight at any time of day. It is available for both iOS and Androids.

For more information click HERE

Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness

Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | https://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/

Make a donation to ISPB
Subscribe to Newsletter

January 2023 Newsletter from ISPB & PBIL

Call for Nominations!

“Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health,” and the 4th annual “Rising Visionary Award”

Prevent Blindness is announcing the call for nominations for the 2023 “Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health,” and the 4th annual “Rising Visionary Award!”

The deadline for submissions for both awards is Friday, February 3, 2023, at noon ET.

The Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health recognizes 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. The highest honor that Prevent Blindness bestows, the award is a tribute to Jenny Pomeroy, who was the CEO of Prevent Blindness Georgia from 1996 until 2013, and an accomplished leader in advancing public health and policy for vision and eye health issues.

The fourth annual 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?

Find out more information HERE

National Glaucoma Awareness Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3 million Americans have glaucoma. And, it is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes loss of sight by damaging the optic nerve. Those with glaucoma begin to lose patches of vision, usually peripheral vision.

As part of January’s National Glaucoma Awareness Month, ISPB and Prevent Blindness Illinois are offering a wide variety of free resources to help glaucoma patients and their caregivers find the support they need to address the many aspects of the eye disease.

Find more information and resources HERE

Looking for a Presentation for your Organization?

PBIL/ISPB offers presentations on a variety of eye health topics that can range from from 30 to 60+ minutes.

Some topics include:

  • Living Well with Low Vision
  • Aging and Your Eyes
  • Women’s Vision and Eye Health
  • Eye Safety in the Workplace
  • Diabetes and the Eyes

Contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org to schedule a presentation today!

Pictured: ISPB intern/volunteer Elizabeth talks to a community member at Hope Fest

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 and screenings! We will be continuing our efforts during these dates:

February 4, 2023
7:30am – YMCA Community Resource & Health Fair, Kelly Hall YMCA, Chicago
March 19, 2023           
11:00am – Low Vision Presentation, Ascension of Our Lord Greek Orthodox Church, Lincolnshire
April 13, 2023             
1:00pm – Women’s Vision and Eye Health Presentation, Northbrook Park District Leisure Center

 For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org

Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness

Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | https://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/

Make a donation to ISPB
Subscribe to Newsletter

December Eye Health News from ISPB and PB-IL

Give the Gift of Sight Month

The holiday season brings together families, friends and festivities. During the month of December, Prevent Blindness encourages everyone to reflect on the joys of healthy vision and support sight-saving services.

Click here to make a donation

Geographic Atrophy (GA) Awareness Week
December 5 – December 11

This week is Prevent Blindness’ second annual Geographic Atrophy (GA) Awareness Week. GA is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which affects central vision. GA can lead to progressive and permanent vision loss.

To help educate the public on GA, Prevent Blindness has created a variety of resources in English and Spanish, including a downloadable fact sheet and a series of shareable social media graphics. Prevent Blindness also provides a dedicated webpage. Prevent Blindness developed the content of these resources with funding provided by Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Pictured: ISPB volunteer Minjia Tang helping examine members of the Rohingya Cultural Center on November 16

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 and screenings! As back to school season comes to a close, we shift our attention to eye health and safety presentations. We will be continuing our efforts during these dates:

March 19, 2023  
11:00am – Low Vision Presentation, Ascension of Our Lord Greek Orthodox Church, Lincolnshire

April 13, 2023 
1:00pm – Women’s Vision and Eye Health Presentation, Northbrook Park District Leisure Center

For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org

Looking for a Presentation for your Organization?

PBIL/ISPB offers presentations on a variety of eye health topics that can range from from 30 to 60+ minutes.

Some topics include:

  • Living Well with Low Vision
  • Aging and Your Eyes
  • Women’s Vision and Eye Health
  • Eye Safety in the Workplace
  • Diabetes and the Eyes

Contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org to schedule a presentation today!

Copyright © 2017 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness

Contact Us
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness | https://eyehealthillinois.org/
Prevent Blindness Illinois | https://preventblindness.org/contact-us/

Click here to make a donation
Subscribe to Newsletter

June is Cataract Awareness Month

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide, according to The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. More than half of all Americans will have cataract by the time they are 80 years old. ISPB and PBIL have once again declared June as Cataract Awareness Month in an effort to provide patients, care partners and professionals with information on topics related to types of cataract, risk factors, symptoms, cataract surgery and available financial assistance resources. We offer a dedicated web resource at PreventBlindness.org/cataract, and free materials in English and Spanish, such as fact sheets and social media graphics.

We also offer the “Understanding Cataract” episode of its “Focus on Eye Health Expert Series.” Prevent Blindness president and CEO Jeff Todd discusses cataract and cataract surgery with Albert Cheung, MD, Cataract, Cornea, Anterior Segment Specialist with Virginia Eye Consultants and Assistant Professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology.

Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens that blocks or changes the passage of light into the eye, according to the National Eye Institute. Although there may be no early symptoms, patients may begin to notice:

  • cloudy or blurry vision
  • colors that look faded
  • difficulty seeing at night
  • lamps, sunlight or headlights appearing too bright
  • a halo around lights
  • seeing double (this sometimes goes away as the cataract gets bigger)
  • frequent changes to the prescription of eyeglasses or contact lenses

Cataract surgery is one of the most common operations in the United States. An average of 4 million cataract surgeries are performed in this country every year, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). For patients looking for more information, Prevent Blindness offers the dedicated webpage, PreventBlindness.org/cataract-surgery, and the printable “Guide to Cataract Surgery” fact sheet.

If surgery is recommended, the eye surgeon may remove the lens with the cataract and replace it with an intraocular lens (IOL). The eye surgeon implants the IOL in about the same place as the natural lens, so that it results in the most natural vision.

For free information on cataract or cataract surgery, please visit PreventBlindness.org/cataract. For a listing of vision care financial assistance programs in English or Spanish, visit PreventBlindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information/.

My Retina Tracker Genetic Testing Program

Do you have a clinical diagnosis of inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) and live in the United States and/or the US territories? The Foundation Fighting Blindness, in partnership with Blueprint Genetics and InformedDNA®, offers an open access, no-cost genetic testing program. Please visit their site to find out if you are eligible.

The program offers people with an IRD access to the highest quality genetic testing and genetic counseling. Although it is not required for participation, this program offers an easy opportunity to join the My Retina Tracker Registry. This gives individuals the opportunity to contribute to research and development, and the opportunity of being contacted about relevant clinical trials.

The program provides patients with a 322-gene panel targeting relevant genes associated with IRD. Unique features of the panel include the entire mitochondrial genome, full RPGR coverage, high-resolution copy number variant detection and comprehensive coverage of IRD related non-coding variants. The program offers no-charge genetic counseling.

Ordering is easy through Blueprint’s online portal, Nucleus. Results can be viewed in Nucleus approximately 4 weeks after Blueprint Genetics receives the sample.

New Resources for Reducing Eye Strain from Screens

In response to increased virtual and screen-based activities during the coronavirus pandemic, ISPB and Prevent Blindness Illinois have launched a new awareness campaign,, Take a Screen Time Out. All of us, including children, are spending as much as 12 hours a day in front of a digital screen. Find out more at Prevent Blindness.

Tips from the American Academy of Ophthalmology include:

  • Use artificial tears to refresh eyes when they feel dry. 
  • Consider using a humidifier to add moisture to the air.
  • Wear prescribed computer eyeglasses that allow eyes to focus specifically at computer screen distance (intermediate distance, which is about 20 to 26 inches away from the face).
  • Adjust screen brightness to match the level of light in the room. 
  • Increase the contrast on the screen to reduce eye strain.
  • Use a glare screen on the device.
  • Sit about 25 inches from the screen and adjust the screen height to look slightly downward.