National Glaucoma Awareness Month and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)/Low Vision Awareness Month

Article Outline

 

Major winter community outreach/patient education programs spotlight optometry's growing role in the management of eye disease.

It is no secret that the American population is aging. It is also well known that the American health care system is placing increasing emphasis on both preventive care and a comprehensive team approach to the management of chronic conditions. There has perhaps never been a better time for optometrists to educate their patients and their communities on the critical role preventive care can play in minimizing the impact of serious eye disease.

The American Optometric Association (AOA) offers a number of materials to facilitate such educational efforts. Now in its second printing, the AOA Eye Disease Management Kit provides helpful materials to facilitate “chair-side” conversations with patients regarding glaucoma as well as other chronic eye health conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The kit provides patient-friendly information to promote an understanding of the important role early detection plays in minimizing the effects of such conditions. AOA members can obtain a copy of the AOA Eye Disease Management Kit free of charge, under a grant from Optos®, by a contacting the AOA Communications Group at publicrelations@aoa.org or 800-365-2119, ext. 4226.

The AOA also encourages its member practitioners to participate in 2 well-established eye care observances: National Glaucoma Awareness Month (January) and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)/Low Vision Awareness Month (February).

More than 2 million Americans age 40 and older suffer from glaucoma. Nearly half do not know they have the disease because it has no early symptoms, according to Prevent Blindness America (PBA), which observes National Glaucoma Month each January to promote greater awareness of the “Sneak Thief of Sight.” The AOA Eye Disease Management Kit offers materials to help patients understand glaucoma. Prevent Blindness America offers free National Glaucoma Awareness Month brochures, fact sheets, and information through a dedicated Web page, The Glaucoma Learning Center (www.preventblindness.org/glaucoma). The National Eye Institute (NEI) offers brochures and promotional cards, outlining Medicare benefits for those with glaucoma, through its glaucoma Web page (www.nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts.asp).

AMD is a leading cause of vision loss, affecting 1.6 million Americans age 50 and older. Although America's older adult population is growing—meaning that more people are at risk for AMD and other age-related, sight-threatening conditions—research is rapidly producing breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment. New emphasis is being placed on the role of good nutrition in preventing or minimizing the effects of dry AMD. A growing array of low vision devices can make the most of remaining vision.

To help make older Americans aware of such developments, the “Recommended Nutrients for Healthy Eyes” information sheet on the beneficial effects of lutein in preventing AMD have been cooperatively developed by the AOA Communications Group and Kemin Health. In addition, a free acrylic counter display (which includes 2 pads of the “Recommended Nutrients” pamphlet) is available to make the materials visible to patients and easily accessible. To order, log on to www.aoa.org/syvm-kits.xml and complete the form. Additional pads can be ordered by contacting the AOA Communications Group at publicrelations@aoa.org or 800-365-2219, ext. 4226.

Prevent Blindness America, the sponsor of AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month, makes a variety of patient materials on AMD available through its AMD Leaning Center Web page (www.preventblindness.org/amd). The NEI offers more through its age-related macular degeneration Web page (www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts).