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Worldwide Organizations Cooperate for World Glaucoma Day
The Glaucoma Research Foundation is cooperating with organizations worldwide to spread the word about the risks of glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, on World Glaucoma Day, March 12, 2009.
Glaucoma gradually steals sight without warning, and in the early stages of the disease there may be no symptoms. Glaucoma leads to blindness by damaging the optic nerve. Elevated pressure in the eye is a risk factor, but even people with normal pressure can lose vision to glaucoma. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States and the leading cause of blindess in African-Americans.
This is the second year of the event founded by the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patient Organization. Here are some of the ways you can get involved in World Glaucoma Day:
In Baltimore, Maryland, The Polakoff Foundation is sponsoring “The Eyes Have It” on March 12 from 4 to 7 PM at Good Samaritan Hospital, 5601 Loch Raven Blvd. Participants will have the opportunity to receive a free glaucoma vision screening, discuss glaucoma with glaucoma doctors, patients and advocates, and learn how “the sneak thief of sight” can take your eyesight without warning. The event is free. Similar events may be taking place in your local community.
All Eyes On Glaucoma is an informational website sponsored by Pfizer Ophthalmics, where you can go online to learn more about glaucoma and how to best take care of your eye health.
More information and resources about glaucoma and World Glaucoma Day are available around the web:
How to Start and Maintain a Successful Glaucoma Patient Support Group - info from the World Glaucoma Patient Association
World Glaucoma Day web site
Glaucoma patient information from Alcon
The World Glaucoma Association web site
Visit the National Eye Institute web site for glaucoma information.
The Wikipedia web site is another good online source of glaucoma information.
For Eye Care Professionals:
Allergan’s World Glaucoma Day media tool kit. To help eye care professionals maximize World Glaucoma Day involvement in their community, Allergan is offering a free, downloadable media toolkit. The toolkit includes tips and template materials to facilitate communication with local media.