News Briefs Archive

Bausch + Lomb Launches AMD Awareness Initiative

Feb. 8, 2017

This month, Bausch + Lomb is partnering with the organization Prevent Blindness for the second year in a row to urge patients to join the fight for their sight during Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month. This year’s activities include a consumer-focused social media campaign and media integration with the game show, Jeopardy!

“AMD is a progressive eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in people age 50 and older1 and 1 out of 5 people over the age of 65 will be diagnosed with the disease2,” says Joe Gordon, senior vice-president and general manager, Bausch + Lomb Consumer Healthcare. “Which is why it’s so important that we not only support and empower the estimated 11 million people that are impacted by AMD3, but also motivate others to join the fight to preserve their sight for the future. At Bausch + Lomb, we believe that nothing is more important than patients’ vision, which is why we are continuously looking for creative ways to educate the public about eye health.”

As part of AMD Awareness Month and to kick off the month, Bausch + Lomb partnered with Jeopardy!, America’s Favorite Quiz Show, to create a special EYE HEALTH category, which aired on February 7.

Throughout the month of February, Bausch + Lomb is encouraging consumers to join the initiative by helping to raise awareness and showing their support of the AMD patient community on social media. For every “share” or “like” of a Bausch + Lomb Facebook post promoting AMD Awareness Month, Bausch + Lomb will donate $1 to the organization Prevent Blindness, up to $25,000.*

You can also ask your staff and patients to raise awareness by adding the #WhyEyeFight picture frame to their Facebook profile picture by visiting http://www.joyofsight.com/whyeyefight for more details.By visiting http://www.joyofsight.com/whyeyefight, you also share posts communicating why they fight to help preserve their vision for the future right to their Facebook and Twitter feeds using the hashtag #WhyEyeFight.

Links to the Bausch + Lomb AMD Facebook posts and instructions on how to add the Facebook profile picture frame are available at http://www.joyofsight.com/whyeyefight.

“We are excited to partner with Bausch + Lomb once again to encourage others to join the fight to preserve their vision for the future” says Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “By sharing their story and raising awareness of the disease, consumers can help remind others not to take their vision for granted.”

AMD is characterized by loss of central vision, usually in both eyes. The person may experience a dark spot in the center of their vision and or, distorted or wavy vertical lines or blurry text. If left untreated, the majority of eyes affected with wet AMD will become functionally blind within two years.

Web sites, such as http://www.joyofsight.com and http://www.preventblindness.org, provide helpful educational resources for people with AMD and their families.

“Although there is no cure for AMD, it is important that appropriate steps are taken to help reduce patient’s risk of progression,” said Michael Cooney, MD, a New York-based retinal specialist and expert in the study of retinal disease. “For my patients, I recommend a healthy diet and PreserVision AREDS 2 Formula eye vitamins, which includes the specific combination of nutrients, recommended by the National Eye Institute for people with moderate to advanced AMD. Patients should talk to their eye doctor to see if an AREDS 2 formula supplement is right for them.”

For more information on AMD or the #WhyEyeFight program, please visit http://www.joyofsight.com/whyeyefight or http://www.preventblindness.org/amd. Follow the conversation on Twitter and Facebook with hashtag #WhyEyeFight.
References
1.“Age-related Macular Degeneration”. Neil M. Bressler, M.D; Susan B. Bressler, M.D.; Stuart L. Fine, M.D. for the Retinal Vascular Center, Wilmer Opthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland USA. Survey of Ophthalmology, Volume 32, Issue 6, May-June 1988, Pages 375-413 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0039625788900525

2. What Is Macular Degeneration?: https://www.amd.org/what-is-macular-degeneration/

3. Forecasting Age-Related Macular Degeneration Through the Year 2050 — The Potential Impact of New Treatments”. David B. Rein, PhD; John S. Wittenborn, BS; Xinzhi Zhang, MD, PhD; Amanda A. Honeycutt, PhD; Sarah B. Lesesne, BS; Jinan Saaddine, MD, MPH; for the Vision Health Cost-Effectiveness Study Group. Archives of Ophthalmology. 127(4):533-540. April 2009.

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