Prevent Blindness announces July as Dry Eye Awareness Month, with exciting updates

( image credit: Adobestock/DraganaGordic)

Prevent Blindness has declared July as “Dry Eye Awareness Month” in efforts to educate the public on dry eye. With nearly 16 million Americns having dry eye¹, it is imperative that there is more education, awareness, and treatment.

This year, Prevent Blindness is debuting a new episode of the Focus on Eye Health Expert Series, “Dry Eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD),” featuring April Jasper, OD, FAAO, Advanced Eyecare Specialists, where she shares her unique experience as a dry eye patient as well as an eyecare provider

OCuSOFT Inc is also partnering with Prevent Blindness for the third year in a row in support of Dry Eye Awareness Month.

Dry eye occurs when there is not enough tear film produced, the tear film is not draining properly from the eye, or the tear film is not the quality needed to maintain the health of the eye. If left untreated, dry eye can cause damage to the cornea. Some risk factors for dry eye include: being more than 50 years old, environmental conditions such as allergies, wearing contact lenses, and medical conditions such as diabetes. Certain medications can also increase the risk of dry eye like allergy medications and sleeping pills.

“Dry eye is a serious condition that may have long-term effects on eye health, if left untreated,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We encourage patients to talk with their eye doctors about their dry eye symptoms, and work together to form an effective treatment plan to keep eyes healthy for years to come.”

Information is available on dry eye risk factors, symptoms, and treatment options through a variety of resources, including fact sheets and shareable social media graphics, available in English and Spanish, which can be found at: https://preventblindness.org/eye-and-vision-health-fact-sheets/

References

1. Dry Eye. National Eye Institute. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/dry-eye

2. Prevent blindness declares July as dry eye awareness month to educate public on eye disease that affects more than 16 million Americans. Prevent Blindness. June 27, 2023. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://preventblindness.org/2023-dry-eye-awareness-month/