New "It Started with an Eye Exam" campaign from Prevent
Blindness asks public to share how eye care services and exams
improved their vision and their daily lives
CHICAGO, May 16, 2024
/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Prevent Blindness, the nation's leading
nonprofit eye health and safety organization, is launching a new
campaign, "It Started With an Eye Exam" to encourage consumers to
share their stories of how eye care had a positive impact on their
health and wellbeing. The goal of the new program is to increase
awareness about the role that vision health plays in overall
health, demonstrate the dramatic impact that improved vision can
have on productivity and quality of life, and to educate the
general public about steps they can take to prepare for an eye
examination. The "It Started With an Eye Exam" program is supported
by funding from Viatris Inc., a global healthcare company.
Starting on Monday, May 20, 2024,
as part of "Healthy Vision Month," Prevent Blindness will begin
sharing stories on its social media channels of those whose lives
have been positively impacted through eye care and treatment.
Followers are also invited to share their stories, using
#ItStartedWithanEyeExam or submit their stories to Prevent
Blindness for sharing at
PreventBlindness.org/getting-professional-eye-care.
In regards to children, without early detection and treatment,
uncorrected vision disorders can impair child development,
interfere with learning, and even lead to permanent vision loss,
according to a report from the National Center for Children's
Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness. Additionally, visual
functioning is a strong predictor of academic performance in
school-age children.
For older people, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, each year, one in four Americans 65 and older
experiences a fall, the leading cause of injury among older adults.
Impaired vision more than doubles the risk of a fall.
For many, access to eye care begins with a certified vision
screening. Prevent Blindness, and its network of affiliates,
partners with many leading companies, such as AEG Vision,
EssilorLuxottica Foundation, VSP Vision, and Zenni, to help provide
vouchers for eye exams and prescription glasses for individuals who
do not pass a vision screening and are unable to afford care on
their own.
Additionally, a dilated eye exam from an eye care professional
can uncover a variety of other serious health issues. According to
the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a comprehensive eye exam may
detect:
- Aneurysm
- Brain tumor
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Lupus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sickle cell disease
- Stroke
Prevent Blindness also provides a free directory of vision care
assistance resources in English and Spanish at
PreventBlindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information.
"As a public health advocacy organization, our mission is help
educate the public on the importance of healthy vision, and help to
provide access to eye care for all," said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent
Blindness. "Through the new 'It Started With an Eye Exam' campaign,
our goal is to share real stories of those whose lives have
positively changed through eye care services, including eye
exams."
For general vision and eye health information, please visit
PreventBlindness.org.
To share your story through the It Started With an Eye Exam
program, visit
https://preventblindness.org/getting-professional-eye-care.
About Prevent Blindness
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading
volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting
blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of
vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of
people each year through public and professional education,
advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and
patient service programs and research. These services are made
possible through the generous support of the American public.
Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is
committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more
information, visit us at PreventBlindness.org, and follow us on
Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Media Contact
Sarah Hecker, Prevent Blindness,
312.363.6026, shecker@PreventBlindness.org,
PreventBlindness.org
Twitter
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SOURCE Prevent Blindness