Prevent Blindness will hold its 14th Annual Focus on Eye Health Summit on May 14, beginning 11 a.m. ET. The free virtual event will bring together experts, advocates, and policymakers to discuss emerging issues in eye health. The theme, “Perspectives in Vision,” highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to addressing vision care challenges.
The event will cover topics such as advancements in vision care and technology, strategies to reduce preventable blindness, policy initiatives to integrate eye health into broader health care systems, and approaches to improving access to care. Personal stories from patients and caregivers will also be shared to highlight the impact of vision loss.
The event will kick off with a keynote discussion, “Leading the Way: National Lessons in Eye Health Advocacy and Collaboration and Reaction Panel,” with opening remarks and moderation by Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. Panelists include Jennifer Jones, president and CEO of Fighting Blindness Canada, and Elisabeth Fowler, executive director and CEO of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. A reaction panel will explore ways to drive meaningful change for vision and eye health in the U.S., featuring Phil Goglas II, MPAP, managing partner at Health and Medicine Counsel LLC, and Dan Ignaszewski, executive director of the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) and the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR).
The second session, “Fireside Chat: Factors that Matter in Vision Research,” will be moderated by Ruth Y. Shoge, OD, MPH, FAAO, associate clinical professor and director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at the University of California, Berkeley. The discussion will feature M. Roy Wilson, MD, MS, president emeritus of Wayne State University and distinguished professor at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.
The third session, “Putting Advocacy into Action,” will be moderated by Heather Shirk Patrick, president & CEO of Prevent Blindness Texas. The session will highlight the experiences of Prevent Blindness ASPECT Patient Engagement Program graduates, including Leslie Nwankwo; Abubakar Sadik Mohammed, OD, PhD student in the Vision Science Graduate Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; and Linda MacLeod.
Following the final session of the day, “The Future of Diagnosis and Treatment in Eye Care,” Todd will formally announce the recipients of the 2025 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health and the sixth annual Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award.
The event will also feature an exhibit hall where attendees can access resources and communicate with exhibitors, in addition to “Coffee Chats,” which will provide a venue for informal discussion about a variety of topics.