January is Glaucoma Awareness Month
Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the United States. Glaucoma has no early symptoms — that’s why half of people with glaucoma don’t know they have it.
The only way to check for glaucoma is to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam. There’s no cure for glaucoma, but early treatment can often stop it from damaging people’s vision.
Anyone can get glaucoma, but some people are at higher risk, including people who:
- Are over age 60
- Are Black/African American and over age 40
- Are Hispanic/Latino
- Have a family history of glaucoma
Join our National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) in encouraging people at higher risk for glaucoma to make a New Year’s resolution to take care of their eye health by getting a dilated eye exam.
Share these resources
Use our resources to spread the word about how to find glaucoma early and how people with glaucoma can protect their vision.
Get an inside look at glaucoma
Our virtual reality (VR) app — See What I See — shows what it’s like to live with vision loss from common eye diseases, including glaucoma.
Help people talk with their doctor about glaucoma
Visiting the doctor can be stressful — especially when dealing with a new diagnosis. This guide makes it easy for people recently diagnosed with glaucoma to talk to their doctor. It includes:
- Information about glaucoma
- Questions for the doctor
- A symptom tracker
Connect with NEI’s NEHEP partners
NEHEP offers disease- and audience-specific programs for health educators in 6 program areas, including glaucoma. NEHEP also works closely with health professionals and health educators to create campaigns, resources, and tools they can use to raise awareness in their communities.
Spread the word on social media
Use the Twitter and Facebook posts below to tell your followers about Glaucoma Awareness Month — and encourage them to learn about glaucoma and take steps to protect their eye health in 2023.
- If you’ve been diagnosed with #glaucoma, it’s normal have questions about what this means. @NationalEyeInstitute’s guide can help you start the conversation with your eye doctor: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/resources-for-health-educators/outreach-materials/talk-your-doctor-about-glaucoma #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth
- It can be hard to describe what vision loss looks like for people with #glaucoma. This #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth, use @NationalEyeInstitute’s virtual reality app to see what it’s like to live with this common eye disease: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/resources-for-health-educators/see-what-i-see-virtual-reality-eye-disease-experience
- January is #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth! Get the facts about #glaucoma and schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam to protect your sight. Learn more from @NationalEyeInstitute: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma
- Join @NationalEyeInstitute in celebrating #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth! Find resources to help raise awareness about #glaucoma: https://nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/resources-for-health-educators/glaucoma-resources/glaucoma-awareness-month
- It’s #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth! Did you know that the only way to find out if you have #glaucoma is to get a dilated eye exam? Learn more from @NationalEyeInstitute: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma
- If you’ve been diagnosed with #glaucoma, it’s normal to have questions. @NatEyeInstitute’s guide can help you start the conversation with your eye doctor: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/resources-for-health-educators/outreach-materials/talk-your-doctor-about-glaucoma #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth
- This #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth, see what it’s like to live with vision loss caused by #glaucoma using @NatEyeInstitute’s virtual reality app: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/resources-for-health-educators/see-what-i-see-virtual-reality-eye-disease-experience
- January is #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth. Get the facts about #glaucoma from @NatEyeInstitute — and get a dilated eye exam if you’re at higher risk: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma
- Celebrate #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth by helping others learn about #glaucoma! Use @NatEyeInstitute's resources to spread the word: https://nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/resources-for-health-educators/glaucoma-resources/glaucoma-awareness-month
- It’s #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth! #DYK the only way to find out if you have #glaucoma is to get a dilated eye exam? Learn more from @NatEyeInstitute: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma