Jan. 29, 2024 — Prevent Blindness has declared February as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month, offering a variety of free resources to raise public awareness and assist eyecare professionals in educating their patients.
A new episode in the Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Expert Series, “Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision,” features University of South Carolina School of Medicine assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology W. Lloyd Clark, M.D., of the Palmetto Retinal Center, discussing diagnosis, risk factors, emerging treatments, and more with Prevent Blindness president and CEO Jeff Todd. The “Low Vision” episode of the Focus on Eye Health Expert Series features Spectrios Institute for Low Vision executive director R. Tracy Williams, O.D., FAAO, Loyola University clinical professor of ophthalmology and Illinois College of Optometry adjunct professor, discussing low vision and rehabilitation resources. Psychologist Connie Hills, Ph.D., shares her experience with vision loss from AMD in the “Vision Impairment and Mental Wellness” Focus on Eye Health Expert Series episode.
For people living with low vision and their care partners, Prevent Blindness’s Living Well with Low Vision resource offers a variety of free directories, a library of self-help guides, downloadable apps, and relevant news for those with significant visual impairment. Part of this resource, the “Vision Loss and Mental Wellness” webpage offers detailed steps to support mental health, including a listing of mental health services from a variety of organizations. Additionally, the nonprofit offers fact sheets on AMD and Geographic Atrophy, an advanced form of dry AMD, and shareable social media graphics in English and Spanish.
Patients can check the central vision in each of their eyes with an Amsler grid, and Prevent Blindness offers a free printable one here.
The free AMD GuideMe app from Prevent Blindness offers information, tips, resources, and suggested steps toward protecting one’s vision based on a questionnaire regarding the user and the user’s AMD diagnosis.
“AMD and low vision continue to impact the daily lives of millions, and the numbers of those affected are only going to continue to grow as our population ages,” says Todd. “Our mission is to empower individuals with the information they need to help slow the progression of retinal diseases like AMD, as well as provide effective tools for patients and care partners to help navigate the challenges of vision loss through our wide library of free resources.”