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Glaucoma Awareness Month

Patient getting an eye exam.

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. 

Man looking through a virtual reality device.

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. 

Couple talking to a doctor.

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.

Facebook

Twitter

Last updated: January 19, 2023