BrightFocus Foundation PSA Campaign - Make a Plan Today: Get Your Eyes Checked
Clarksburg, MD (PRWEB) January 30, 2015 -- Vision loss is a growing public health problem in the United States. Diseases such as macular degeneration and glaucoma affect millions of Americans, and can cause reduced vision and even blindness. According to a new PSA, “Make A Plan Today: Get Your Eyes Checked” from BrightFocus Foundation, most people lose their vision from disease, not at birth.
In many cases, people are unaware they have a vision problem until irreversible damage has occurred. For example, an estimated half of the three million Americans with glaucoma don’t even know they have the disease.
That is why BrightFocus, a nonprofit organization that supports research and provides public education for eye and brain diseases, wants to send a message to all Americans that getting an eye exam on a regular basis is critically important. Baby Boomers, who are now at increased risk as they age, should get their eyes checked regularly.
According to academic sources and the National Institute of Health:
- Macular degeneration affects 11 million people in the United States.
- Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness among Hispanic and African Americans.
The effects of vision disease are both degenerative and debilitating. They cause reduced quality of life and decreased mobility for those affected. Getting your eyes checked on a regular basis can help prevent vision loss, as well as manage the damage that may have already occurred.
This PSA depicts the impact of vision loss through powerful first-person accounts from those with these diseases. The spot urges viewers to get their eyes checked, and to visit BrightFocus.org to learn more about vision disease including “The Top Five Questions To Ask Your Eye Doctor” at http://www.brightfocus.org.
Alice Kirkman, BrightFocus Foundation, 301.814.4088, [email protected]
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