Free Eye Exams Available to Senior Citizens in March
to Fight AMD
National campaign to raise awareness about
Age-related Macular Degeneration
March
3, 2008 Promoting free eye exams for senior citizens during March, the
Macular Degeneration Partnership is asking, "Do You See What I See?" For
seniors who suffer with an eye disease known as Age-related Macular
Degeneration (AMD) the answer is always, "No."
Picture this
a large black hole in the center of
your sight that robs you from seeing complete images and eats away at
your vision from the inside out. That is what happens for the 10 million
Americans who suffer from AMD. AMD is a devastating eye disease and the
leading cause of vision loss in people 65 years or older in the United
States.
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These are stories
from our archives of Health News.
Canadians Claim Major Discovery in Fight Against Dry
Form of AMD
Age-related macular degeneration discovery is new
hope to fight leading cause of blindness in senior citizens
Feb. 20, 2008
Blinding Age-Related Macular Degeneration Progress
Linked to Common Genetic Variants
Obesity and smoking
found to greatly increase the risk
April 24, 2007
More Proof that Smoking Increases Risk of
Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Blindness for Senior Citizens
Current smokers 4 times more likely to develop AMD;
past smokers 3 times as likely to have advanced form of the disease
Aug. 13, 2007
Age-Related Macular Degeneration Risk Increases with
Interaction of Genetics and Lifestyle
Mutant of CFH gene plus smoking increased risk 8.69
times
January 9, 2007
Drug Treatment Slows Macular Vision Loss in
Diabetics
Inspired by ranibuzumab (Lucentis) slowing vision
loss in people with macular degeneration
December 15, 2006
Gene Linked to Aggressive 'Wet' Age-Related Macular
Degeneration
Patients with HTRA1 SNP 10 times more
likely to have wet AMD
November 22, 2006
Drug Treatment Slows Macular Vision Loss in
Diabetics
Inspired by ranibuzumab (Lucentis) slowing vision
loss in people with macular degeneration
December 15, 2006
Top 10 Stories of 2006 by Harvard Health Letter
Picks Key Ones for Senior Citizens
Lucentis for macular
degeneration, Zostavax for shingles make list
December 4, 2006
Read more
Senior Citizen Alerts |
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In honor of March's AMD Awareness Month, EyeCare
America and Macular Degeneration Partnership are launching an awareness
campaign for AMD called "Do You See What I See?"
The campaign aims to raise awareness about AMD, its
risk factors (age, race, family history) and its treatment options. For
seniors who have not been diagnosed with AMD, the national organization
would like to connect those people with a free eye exam through
its AMD EyeCare Program.
People can call the toll-free helpline at
1-866-324-EYES (3937) anytime, for themselves and/or family members and
friends to see if they qualify for a free eye exam.
This year-round program promotes annual eye exams
for people 65 and older, raises awareness of AMD, provides the latest
information about treatment options and low vision services, offers free
AMD educational materials, and facilitates access to eye care. The eye
exams will be provided by more than 7,000 volunteer ophthalmologists
across the US.
"There is no cure for AMD, but early detection and
treatment may lessen severe vision loss and slow the progression of the
disease," said William Tasman, MD, chair of EyeCare America's AMD
EyeCare Program.
"AMD is a devastating eye disease that affects
millions of Americans," said Judith Delgado, Partnership Director.
"Early detection and treatment are critical. We are happy to partner
with EyeCare America to raise awareness, provide critical information
and support those dealing with the effects of macular degeneration and
vision loss."
What is AMD?
AMD, also known as macular (MAK-yoo-lar)
degeneration, means the central area of the retina known as the macula
is losing function. The retina is made up of layers of nerve cells that
sense light and allow you to see.
Someone with macular degeneration might be able to
see a clock, but not read the numbers, or when talking to you, not
recognize your features. However, AMD usually does not damage the side
vision, which is what one uses to get around without bumping into
furniture or other objects.
What causes AMD?
Most people who get macular degeneration are over
age 65. Some people but not all people lose their central vision slowly
over many years. In 10 to 15 % of affected patients, vision loss is
sudden if abnormal blood vessels leak fluid or blood under the retina.
How to Get Free Exam
The AMD EyeCare Program is designed for people at
increased risk for AMD, but who have NOT been diagnosed and who:
>> Are age 65 and older
>> Are US citizens or legal residents
>> Have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or
more years
>> Do not belong to an HMO or the VA
People can call the toll-free helpline at
1-866-324-EYES (3937) anytime, for themselves and/or family members and
friends to see if they qualify for a free eye exam and care from one of
EyeCare America's 7,000 volunteer ophthalmologists nationwide and to
request free AMD educational materials..
Callers who have not seen an ophthalmologist in
three or more years and who are also at increased risk (age, race,
family history) may be eligible to receive a comprehensive medical eye
exam and, in most cases, up to one year of care at no out-of-pocket cost
for any disease diagnosed during the initial exam.
Eyeglasses, medicines, hospital services and fees
of other medical professionals are not included.
To supplement its award-winning referral program,
EyeCare America has recently created a new website specifically designed
to assist online users in learning more about eye problems such as AMD.
The site,
eyecareamerica.org, contains up-to-date clinical information about
AMD and other eye diseases reviewed by certified ophthalmologists (Eye
MDs) with links to current treatments and even an interactive tour of
the eye's anatomy. Visitors can share important health topics with
family and friends through a convenient email forward function and order
free brochures that give in-depth information on treatment,
tests/diagnosis, causes and risks factors for a wide variety of common
eye diseases.
Other easy to use functions include online tools
such as a vision simulator, which allows users to see how vision would
be affected from common eye diseases, and informative videos, created by
the American Academy of Ophthalmology, that will provide visitors with a
complete interactive experience.
The AMD EyeCare Program is co-sponsored by Alcon,
Inc., Bausch & Lomb, Inc., Genentech, Inc., Novartis Ophthalmics and
Pfizer Ophthalmics.
About Macular Degeneration Partnership (MDP)
A program of the non-profit Discovery Eye
Foundation, MDP is a patient education and outreach program designed to
provide information, resources and support to patients and family
members. The comprehensive website, AMD.org, educates visitors about
age-related macular degeneration (AMD) research and treatments as well
has information on how to cope with vision loss. The toll-free "warm
line" (888-430-9898) connects callers with a knowledgeable professional
who can answer questions, provide support and point the way to more
resources. Discovery Eye Foundation also funds research on blinding eye
disease at the laboratories of the University of California, Irvine and
supports collaborative investigations around the world.
About EyeCare America
Established in 1985, EyeCare America, the public
service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of
Ophthalmology, is committed to the preservation of sight, accomplishing
its mission through public service and education. EyeCare America
provides eye care services to the medically underserved and for those at
increased risk for eye disease through its corps of more than 7,000
volunteer ophthalmologists dedicated to serving their communities. More
than 90 percent of the care made available is provided at no
out-of-pocket cost to the patients. EyeCare America includes programs
for seniors, glaucoma, diabetes, AMD and children, and is the largest
program of its kind in American medicine. Since its inception, EyeCare
America has helped more than 860,000 people. EyeCare America is a
non-profit program whose success is made possible through charitable
contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations. More
information can be found at:
www.eyecareamerica.org
Links
● MedlinePlus provides links to information on
macular degeneration and an
encyclopedia page on macular degeneration (in English and Spanish)
● Pages on the US National Institutes of Health
NIH SeniorHealth site provides text and spoken information about AMD
● The
US National Eye Institute and the
UK Royal National Institute of Blind People also provide information
about AMD
● Wikipedia has pages on
the retina,
photoreceptor cells,
retinal pigment epithelium, and
choroid (note that Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia that
anyone can edit; available in several languages)
● Learn more about the AMD Alliance
International. (http://www.amdalliance.org)
● Take the CNIB AMD Challenge to see if you are
at risk. (Click
Here)
