Prevent Blindness has designated July as Dry Eye Awareness Month for the fifth consecutive year. The initiative aims to increase public and professional awareness about dry eye disease, its risk factors, and treatment options.
According to the National Eye Institute, an estimated 16.4 million Americans are affected by dry eye. As part of the awareness effort, Prevent Blindness has developed a range of free educational resources, including a dedicated webpage, fact sheets, social media graphics, and instructional videos—available in both English and Spanish.
This year’s educational programming includes two expert interviews through the Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Expert Series:
- “Dry Eye Disease and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD): What You Need to Know” with April Jasper, OD, FAAO
- “Dry Eye” with Stephanie Jones Marioneaux, MD, a Prevent Blindness board member
“A number of treatment options are available for dry eye that can help address symptoms and save sight,” says Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We invite everyone to check out our free dry eye resources and make an appointment with an eye doctor to find out what type of treatment is best for them.”