Spread the word about AMD!

March 2025

Dear NEHEP Partners,

Thanks to all of you who joined in to promote Glaucoma Awareness Month in January and Low Vision Awareness Month in February. We appreciate all your efforts to share key eye health messages and encourage everyone to prioritize their eye health all year long.

In that spirit, we’re using the March Eye Health Connection newsletter to promote February’s Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month. Read on to get details about relevant eye health resources and events for people with AMD, eye health professionals, and students.

We’re also deep in preparations for Healthy Vision Month (HVM) 2025, which is just 2 months away in May. We’ve got some exciting collaborations going to help us spread the word about preventive care and the impact of lifestyle choices and healthy behaviors on eye health — and we can’t wait to share more very soon! If you’re interested in partnering with NEI for HVM 2025, please email us at eyehealthmatters@nei.nih.gov.

Best regards,

Maria Zacharias

Acting Director, National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP)

National Eye Institute

Protect Your Sight: What You Need to Know About AMD

In case you missed it, February was Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month! AMD is a leading cause of vision loss, but early detection and healthy habits can make a difference. Learn about risk factors, symptoms, and the latest treatments to take charge of your eye health.

Explore NEI’s resources

Three older men sitting on the bleachers

T-Minus One Month: Encourage U.S. High School Students to Enter Our Video Contest!

“Eye on the Future Video Contest" text on a round blue background with colorful abstract shapes.

The Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest is open! Do you know a U.S. high school student? Are they passionate about science? Are they always asking “Why” or testing out their latest theories? Encourage them to submit a video about science in their world, in action, or in their future for a chance to win a cash prize and a FREE trip to NIH! Encourage students to submit by April 20, 2025.

Learn about the contest

APH ConnectCenter Offers Essential Resources for Living with AMD

For those living with AMD, the right support and strategies can make a meaningful difference in daily life. Explore resources in English and Spanish designed to help maintain independence, confidence, and quality of life while adapting to vision changes. Resource topics include:

Daily Living Skills
Adjusting to Blindness/Low Vision
Orientation and Mobility
Support Groups

Check out the full resource library

New ASRS Video: "Retina Specialists – Helping You See for a Lifetime"

The American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) has launched a new informational video, "Retina Specialists: Helping You See for a Lifetime." This video features three retina patients and showcases:

Conditions retina specialists diagnose and treat
Extensive education, training, and surgical expertise of retina specialists
How to find a retina specialist for expert care

Watch the video now

Calendar of Events

2025 Focus on Eye Health Summit

Be part of the 2025 Focus on Eye Health Summit, hosted by Prevent Blindness, where experts will share insights on advancing vision health on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, a groundbreaking gathering of leaders in public health, eye care, and government sectors. This year’s theme, Perspectives in Vision, emphasizes the need for a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to addressing eye health challenges in an evolving world.

Learn more and register here

Other Events and Resources

April 17: Envision University is hosting Low Vision Grand Rounds, an event that presents courses on current and interesting cases involving the team approach to low vision rehabilitation.

May 28-31: Envision University is hosting the Envision Conference 2025 in Dallas, Texas. This premier event brings together eye care providers, researchers, rehabilitation therapists, and accessibility experts to explore the latest advancements in low vision care and services.

October 8-11: Join the American Academy of Optometry for their annual meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. Attendees can earn 300+ hours of clinically relevant CE, participate in hands-on workshops and symposia, learn about the latest research in optometry and vision science, and explore a dynamic exhibit hall featuring more than 150 industry partners showcasing their innovation.

Resource: Explore available and future therapeutic concepts to treat AMD with an online course provided by the International Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (IJCAHPO).

Resource(s): Hadley provides practical resources, expert insights, and real stories to help those living with AMD adapt and maintain independence:

"I Have My Bad Days and My Better Days" – Listen to Pam Harris share how assistive technology has helped her overcome early struggles with macular degeneration.
Living with Macular Degeneration – Learn about the condition and discover useful coping strategies.
Preventing Falls – Simple home adjustments to reduce the risk of trips and falls.
Low Vision Series – Explore how contrast, lighting, and other adaptations can make your home more accessible.
Retina Specialist on Macular Degeneration and Other Conditions – A conversation with Dr. Tim Murray on common concerns and future treatment possibilities.

The Eye Health Connection is a newsletter developed with the input of NEHEP Partners and shared with the community of NEHEP’s 60+ partner organizations. The links are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only, they do not constitute an endorsement by the National Eye Institute or its employees.

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