Q&A with a Vision Health Leader and Advocate
Health & Patients
We sat down with Jeff Todd, the President and CEO of Prevent Blindness, to talk about his personal journey as an advocate and how people can tap into vision health resources.
Read our interview:
What inspired you to get involved with your organization?
Admittedly, my getting involved with Prevent Blindness was more a matter of happenstance—being in the right place at the right time. It has become my home for the past 20 years. I have stayed with Prevent Blindness due to personal inspirations, as well as those gained throughout my work. My grandmother lost her sight in her later years due to macular degeneration. That loss is certainly something that drives me, as are the stories we hear all the time of folks whose lives are changed even with a simple diagnosis, much less the vision loss that may later come. But mostly I’m inspired by the stories I hear from people whose lives have been improved because of the work that Prevent Blindness and our partners undertake every day.
What is the biggest unmet need for your patients? For your caregivers?
Equitable access to eye care is a significant challenge for many in the U.S. and around the world. Also, one of the biggest unmet needs is a simple appreciation of eye health in general. It’s often said that vision loss is among the biggest fears that anyone has, and yet we don’t think about our eye care in the same way we think about our overall healthcare. And we often treat them separately when it comes to healthcare policy and health communications. There are so many sight-threatening conditions that may begin to take root prior to any vision loss, and if caught early, can be treated. We need to do a better job of elevating eye health as a priority.
Are there any new resources that you’d like patients and caregivers to know about?
There are various advocacy and community organizations that publish resources for eye health patients, caregivers, and consumers. I encourage patients and caregivers to research these organizations and connect with them.
Our website features resources including a wide range of general health information that’s written in consumer-friendly language, while carrying the seal of approval of our esteemed scientific advisory committees. Plus, people can find patient-specific materials such as our Living Well With Low Vision resource, which aims to help everyone live a high-quality life regardless of their vision status.
The Glaucoma Community also provides a community network of those living with glaucoma, while providing access to news items and other resources. And parents, caregivers, preschool professionals, teachers, school nurses, and anyone interested in children’s vision can visit our National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health for many resources.
How can the public help raise awareness and support your community?
One of the easiest ways to help raise awareness is to connect with advocacy organizations like Prevent Blindness. You can follow our news and resources and share information with friends, family, and colleagues.
