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:
ISPB and Prevent Blindness Illinois (PBIL) have declared March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month. The goal of the annual observance is to provide employers and employees with important information to help keep eyes safe and healthy at work. Prevent Blindness offers a variety of free resources including workplace eye safety fact sheets, shareable social media graphics, and webpages. Prevent Blindness also offers a Workplace Safety module as part of its Healthy Eyes Educational Series.
“Digital Eye Strain,” also referred to as “Computer Vision Syndrome,” is a group of symptoms experienced when using computers or other digital devices for long periods of time, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Symptoms may include dry eyes and/or irritated eyes, blurred or double vision, tearing or watery eyes, and headache.
Data from the “2025 Workplace Vision Health Report” from VSP Vision Care shows nearly 6 out of 10 employees say digital eye strain reduces their productivity and effectiveness at work. Around half say it affects their well-being and quality of life, makes them too tired to enjoy after-work activities, and causes them to be more irritable at work. And 27 percent have taken time off from work due to digital eye strain.
To help avoid eye strain, we recommend the following:
Place your screen 20 to 26 inches away from your eyes and a little bit below eye level.
Use a document holder placed next to your screen. It should be close enough so that you don’t have to swing your head back and forth or constantly change your eye focus.
Change your lighting to lower glare and harsh reflections. Glare filters over your digital screens can also help.
Get a chair you can adjust.
Choose screens that can tilt and swivel. A keyboard that you can adjust is also helpful.
Computer glasses with yellow-tinted lenses that block blue light can help ease digital eye strain by increasing contrast.
Anti-reflective lenses reduce glare and increase contrast and also block blue light from digital devices.
Wearing the proper eye protection at work is important for keeping eyes safe at job sites. In the most recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers suffered 18,510 eye-related injuries and illnesses in 2020. Contact with objects or equipment led to the majority of eye injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work in 2020. Exposure to harmful substances or environments accounted for nearly 5,000 cases. Construction trades workers had 2,120 eye-related injury or illness cases in 2020, with electricians making up more than 20 percent of those cases.
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.
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
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!
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.
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
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
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!
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.
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
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!
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!
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.
Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month
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.
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
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!
Volunteer with us!
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
ISPB and Prevent Blindness Illinois (PBIL) have declared June as Cataract Awareness Month to provide patients and professionals with free educational resources on cataract, a clouding of the eye’s lens. According to the CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC), cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and the leading cause of vision loss in the United States. Additionally, an estimated 20.5 million Americans aged 40 years and older have cataract in one or both eyes.
ISPB and PBIL offer a variety of free informational resources in English and Spanish including fact sheets, social media graphics, and a listing of vision care financial assistance programs. The group also offers a dedicated web resource at PREVENTBLINDNESS.ORG/CATARACT, and the “UNDERSTANDING CATARACT” episode in the “Focus on Eye Health Expert Series,” featuring Albert Cheung, MD, Cataract, Cornea, Anterior Segment Specialist with Virginia Eye Consultants and Assistant Professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology.
Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award
Nominees for the Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award may be an individual or group comprised of diverse stakeholders, including family/caregiver and community leaders, public health, healthcare, education, etc., who are implementing changes to improve children’s vision in the United States and reduce disparities in children’s vision and eye health. Nominations are being sought of individuals or groups who seek out new and innovative solutions to barriers to healthy vision in children and have successfully implemented solutions that are replicable and sustainable.
The award recognizes significant efforts by an individual or group of individuals to improve public health approaches for children’s vision and eye health. The deadline for submission is July 1, 2024.
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:
July 9, 2024 1:30pm – Carillon Clubhouse Presentation: Plainfield, IL
July 19, 2024 3:00pm – Chicago Commons Community Health Fair: Chicago, IL
July 30 – August 1, 2024 9:00am – VSP Eyes of Hope: Chicago, IL
August 3, 2024 10:00am – State Senator Mattie Hunter’s 20th Annual Family Health & Fitness Fair: Chicago, IL
August 3, 2024 12:00pm – Hope Fest: Chicago, IL
August 10, 2024 tbd – Annual Back to School Health Fair: Chicago, IL
August 10, 2024 10:00am – West40 Backpack GiveBack: Chicago, IL
October 4, 2024 9:00am – Senior Health & Resource Fair: Chicago, IL
For more information, please contact rbarraza@preventblindness.org
BEING SEEN AND HEARD: July 10-11, 2024
2024 Focus on Eye Health Summit, a virtual interactive event
This year’s event emphasizes the importance of a person-centered approach to vision health interventions, research, communications, and care. Being seen and heard by providers, policy makers, researchers, public health experts and other stakeholders allows an individual’s complex health issues to be addressed while taking into consideration their preferences, cultural background, and social context. And ultimately, it leads to the most ideal outcomes for all involved in the interaction.
The free event attracts a global audience of patient advocates, community-based organizations, vision and eye health organizations, researchers, public health experts, health-care providers, educators, early childhood education professionals, senior- and child-care professionals, government agency staff, corporate partners, health program professionals, legislative staff, and other stakeholders.
