Prevent Blindness has designated April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month, accompanied by a range of free educational resources that eyecare professionals can use to engage and educate patients on vision risks and preventive care. The annual initiative is intended to raise awareness that women face a higher risk of several vision conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, dry eye, and vision changes linked to pregnancy and menopause. In response, Prevent Blindness has developed patient-facing materials such as videos, fact sheets, social media graphics, and web content that practices can incorporate into in-office education and outreach.

The initiative comes amid ongoing concerns about disparities in access to care. Data from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness report “Eye Health for Women and Girls” indicate that women globally face greater barriers to eyecare services, contributing to a higher risk of avoidable vision loss.

Among the offerings is a patient toolkit created in collaboration with the Society for Women's Health Research, which includes accessible information on women’s eye health and a “Doctor’s Visit Worksheet” to help patients prepare for appointments and communicate effectively with providers.

Prevent Blindness also produces educational content through its Focus on Eye Health Expert Series:

• “Healthy Vision and Eye Safety Tips for Women,” featuring Maria Sampalis, OD, owner of Sampalis Eye Care and a Prevent Blindness volunteer, discussing the importance of women accessing regular eyecare, barriers some may face, how eye exams can help detect other health conditions, and more.

• “Women’s Eye Health and Safety,” featuring Janine Austin Clayton, MD, FARVO, director, office of research on women’s health at the National Institutes of Health, author of the “Women and Eye Health” essay for Prevent Blindness. 

“Women can help to avoid unnecessary vision impairment by educating themselves on the eye diseases and conditions that may affect them and by taking preventive steps today to maintain healthy eyesight,” said Kira Baldonado, executive vice president at Prevent Blindness. “However, gender inequities in terms of access to quality eyecare must be addressed in the United States and around the world to help ensure that healthy vision is a right available to all.”