Sept. 8, 2023 — Prevent Blindness and Regeneron have partnered with award-winning actress, dancer, and director Debbie Allen to launch the Gr8 Eye Movement, a disease-awareness campaign to educate the public on the risk of developing certain serious retinal diseases including wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy (DR).
Prevent Blindness shares that almost 20 million Americans live with some form of age-related macular degeneration, and diabetes is a leading cause of new blindness in the U.S. The campaign encourages people to designate the eighth day of each month as a day to check in on eye and vision health, with “Gr8” serving as a visual reminder, as an 8 on its side looks like eyes.
A recent survey conducted by Wakefield Research, which collected findings from 667 adults over the age of 55, found that 95% lacked knowledge about wAMD, DME, and DR and are therefore not taking proactive steps to protect their vision. While 70% have experienced symptoms of retinal disease, 67% believe that vision loss is a normal part of aging. Highlighting the importance of the Gr8 Eye Movement, the survey found that 79% will take steps to address changes in their vision when educated about retinal diseases and their risk factors.
“Maintaining vision has become a growing priority in my life. I’ve learned it’s crucial for people like me—who are from communities of color, are over the age of 60, or are living with diabetes or at risk of developing diabetes—to educate themselves about the risk of developing a retinal disease,” says Allen. “Diabetes has impacted many generations of my own family, and I have had family members blinded by diabetic eye disease. Also, as I age, I know I could be at risk for developing other retinal diseases like wAMD that could potentially hinder me from doing the things in my life I love most. This is why I’m joining the Gr8 Eye Movement—to encourage anyone at risk to check their eye health regularly.”
To participate, the campaign’s dedicated website provides access to resources and information to help make eye health a top priority, including how to use an Amsler grid to detect changes in vision, understanding when to make an eyecare appointment, and how to encourage loved ones to check their vision regularly.
“For 115 years, it has been our mission to prevent blindness and preserve sight,” says Jeff Todd, president and CEO, Prevent Blindness. “The learnings from our recent survey, along with the robust insights gleaned through our work in patient advocacy and public health, demonstrate the significant need for further awareness and education. It’s inspiring to have an icon like Debbie Allen joining the cause and encouraging others to prioritize their eye health.”
For more information: preventblindness.org.