Did you know that February is National Low Vision Awareness Month and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month? According to the National Eye Institute, AMD affects more than 1.5 million Americans and is the leading cause of low vision and blindness in people aged 60 and over in the U.S. 

Learn how you can spread knowledge and resources, empower people living with low vision, and increase research support for AMD and other low vision conditions.*

What is AMD?

AMD is a progressive disease that affects the retina, a thin layer of tissue at the back of your eye. As retinal and surrounding cells become inflamed and die, blind spots, grayness, and distortions appear in your central frame of vision. AMD, however, is just one such cause of low vision in older adults, albeit one of the most common.

What does low vision mean?

Low vision is an eye problem that can make it challenging to perform everyday activities. such as reading, writing, cooking, and driving. It can be caused by:

• AMD
• Glaucoma
• Diabetes
• Eye cancer
• A variety of genetic disorders

There are currently no cures for AMD nor low vision; there are only ways to manage them, such as:

• Vision rehabilitation
• Medication
• Healthy diet

How to raise awareness and take action

Taking action during the month of February for AMD and Low Vision Awareness Months is an important way to counteract the negative impact these conditions can have on many people’s lives. The greater awareness there is, the more support can be raised for prevention, treatment, research, and resources.

To learn how you can help raise awareness, the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), provides infographics, info cards, videos, webinars, articles, and fact sheets about:

• How to eat to support optimal eye health
• What vision rehabilitation is, how it works, and where to find a therapist to work with
• How exercise and managing your cholesterol and blood pressure can help your eyes
• How best to protect your vision from harmful blue light and UV rays
• New technologies to improve the lives of people living with AMD and low vision

You can help get the word out about all this important and necessary information by: 

• Sharing it on social media
• Posting resources directly and via links
• Giving a presentation to local organizations and at community events
• Posting info cards on local bulletin boards and leaving counter cards with local businesses 

Celebrate AMD and Low Vision Awareness Months this February by helping educate your community.

*National Eye Institute. (2020, Feb. 14). February is Low Vision Awareness Month. https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/resources-for-health-educators/low-vision-resources/low-vision-awareness-month 

Any sources from outside of Prevent Blindness do not imply an endorsement from Prevent Blindness. The contents of the material used are the responsibility of the authoring organization, Responsum Health.