Prevent Blindness is declaring February as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and low vision month in an effort to provide education and various expert-approved resources to the public and professionals. 

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss among adults aged 50 and older. Approximately 4 million Americans live with low vision, a chronic visual impairment that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or medical treatments.

As part of the awareness campaign, Prevent Blindness offers the free AMD GuideMe app, which delivers a personalized overview of AMD, tailored resources, and suggested steps to preserve vision. Additional educational materials, including fact sheets, social media graphics in English and Spanish, and dedicated web pages, are also available for eyecare professionals to share with their patients.

New this year, the Prevent Blindness ASPECT (Advocacy, Support, Perspective, Empowerment, Communication, and Training) Patient Engagement Program Member Spotlight Series features graduate Laurie S., who shares her experience with AMD and the impact on her daily life, including reading music and the importance of support groups.

Videos in the Focus on Eye Health series include “Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision,” “Low Vision,” and “Vision Impairment and Mental Wellness.”

The Living Well With Low Vision program provides resources for individuals with low vision, caregivers, and health care professionals, covering self-help guides, mental wellness support, clinical trial information, and more.

“Our robust collection of resources on AMD and low vision are intentionally created to help minimize vision loss and maintain independence for those impacted by AMD while providing effective tools to the public and providers on ways to save sight,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness.