NEW YORK—As we settle into the new year, the optical industry is also settling into Glaucoma Awareness Month. Prevent Blindness has been at the forefront this January, offering a variety of free educational and awareness-building resources to help prevent unnecessary vision loss from one of the world’s leading causes of blindness including fact sheets (available in English or Spanish), and shareable infographics. In addition, ECPs across the country have stepped up to share vital information about glaucoma on their own platforms, including social media. With its wide reach and endless possibilities, social media is an excellent way to reach patients who might not know all they need to about glaucoma and there’s still plenty of time to get involved, so this week we’re taking a look at how some ECPs have spread the word.


Prevent Blindness shared a reminder about The Glaucoma Community, a free, patient-focused program online. Image via prevent_blindness on Instagram.


In New Mexico, Tray Ho, OD, of City of Vision Eye Care, shared a reminder about annual exams and glaucoma. Image via city_of_vision on Instagram.


The team at Vision Plus on Benson in Renton, Washington, shared the top three risk factors for glaucoma. Image via vponbenson on Instagram.


The Dr. Tavel team put together an easy to read, informative graphic that shares some key information patients should know about glaucoma. Image via drtavel on Instagram. 


Northeast Sight Services, a non-profit that serves the blind and visually impaired community in Luzerne, Pike, Wayne and Wyoming counties, shared a detailed diagram of how glaucoma effects the eye. Image via northeast_sight_services on Instagram.


Ocala Eye’s Michael Morris, MD FACS, sat for a video to explain what glaucoma is and how he treats it. Image via ocalaeye on Instagram.