Prevent Blindness has designated March 23-29 as its first Keratoconus Week, an awareness initiative focused on education and early detection of the eye disease.

The organization is releasing a set of free educational materials that eyecare professionals can share with their patients to coincide with the campaign, including a fact sheet, a bilingual flyer titled “Your Teen’s Blurry Vision Could Be a Sign of Keratoconus,” a dedicated webpage, and social media graphics.

According to Moran Eye Center, keratoconus is the most common corneal dystrophy in the United States, affecting approximately 1 in 2,000 people, with higher prevalence among teenagers and individuals in their 20s.

Common symptoms include blurry vision, frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions, eye strain, headaches, light sensitivity, eye rubbing, and difficulty seeing at night.

While there is no cure, early diagnosis and treatment can help slow progression and preserve vision. Management options may include scleral or rigid gas permeable contact lenses, corneal cross-linking—a procedure that uses riboflavin eye drops and ultraviolet light to strengthen the cornea—and, in advanced cases, corneal transplantation.

“The best ways to save sight from keratoconus and many other eye diseases and conditions is through early detection and access to treatment,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We encourage patients to team up with their eye doctor to put together an effective treatment plan that meets their specific eyecare needs.”