by Maribel Steel Editor’s note: June is Cataracts Awareness Month. According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), more than half of all Americans who are 80 or older either have cataracts or have had surgery to remove cataracts. My Story During my teenage years, I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). After a time of … Continued
It’s Older Americans Month as well as Healthy Vision Month. This year’s Healthy Vision Month focus is on protecting vision together as a family and finding out about resources for access to eye care. In preparation for Healthy Vision Month, Dr. Sefy Paulose recently updated our eye conditions section, and Dr. Paulose will be presenting … Continued
World Sight Day is an international “day of awareness,” coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). The purpose of World Site Day is to focus attention on the global issue of avoidable blindness and visual impairment. It is held each year on the second Thursday of October. This year, World Sight … Continued
Low vision and blindness affect a substantial portion of the older adult population in the United States. Although new research from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine indicates that the annual number of new cases of blindness and low vision among people aged 45 years and older is estimated to double during the next 30 … Continued
At the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) in New Orleans, Louisiana, November 11-14, 2017, Dr. John D. Shepherd, Director of the Weigel Williamson Center for Visual Rehabilitation at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, delivered a powerful lecture on older adults, depression, and vision loss. Dr. Shepherd discussed his own experience … Continued
According to the United States National Eye Institute, “Older adults are at higher risk for certain eye diseases and conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, dry eye, and low vision. Eye diseases often have no early symptoms, but can be detected during a comprehensive dilated eye exam.” “More than 40 million … Continued
A growing body of diabetes, vision, and health care research indicates that significant disparities in the quality and equity of eye care exist throughout the United States, specifically within African American patient communities. This research includes evaluating the disparities in screening rates for diabetic retinopathy among minority patients, examining the rates of vision loss of … Continued
May is Healthy Vision Month, a national eye health observance established by the National Eye Institute (NEI) in May 2003. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. This year, NEI is encouraging women to make eye health a priority and has … Continued
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Public Policy Center has announced the reintroduction of federal legislation that seeks to establish a nationwide Medicare demonstration project to evaluate the fiscal impact of a permanent change in Medicare coverage that would, for the first time, provide reimbursement for low vision devices. The AFB Public Policy Center, … Continued
Guest blogger Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D., is the Senior Policy Researcher with the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. The AFB Public Policy Center collaborates with policy makers in Congress and the Executive Branch to ensure that Americans with vision loss have equal rights and opportunities to fully participate in … Continued