BrightFocus Foundation Announces Free Glaucoma Chats Information Series
Published on:
(Oct. 7, 2022) Clarksburg, MD—BrightFocus Foundation, in partnership with the American Glaucoma Society, will expand its BrightFocus Chats® audio program series on Wednesday, Oct. 12 to include free and accessible expert glaucoma information.
Building on the popular BrightFocus Chats series on macular degeneration that launched in 2012, new programming will provide expert information and research news for those living with glaucoma via a recorded dial-in telephone discussion format, where listeners may submit questions directly to medical experts.
The free conversations, launching on the eve of World Sight Day, will feature glaucoma specialists, ophthalmologists, physicians, and optometrists who will discuss treatment options, promising scientific research, and tips for remaining independent with the disease. Previous Chats about macular degeneration have engaged thousands of people and featured experts from Johns Hopkins Hospital, Tufts University School of Medicine, and the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center.
Glaucoma Chats will be held on a different topic on the second Wednesday of every month (except December and August). Questions can be submitted in advance via the registration form or during the call. The audio recordings will be available on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, and brightfocus.org/chats.
“Glaucoma patients and their loved ones have many unanswered questions and fears, and often there is not enough time to address them all in the doctor’s office,” said BrightFocus President and CEO Stacy Pagos Haller. “By creating a shared space with scientists and vision experts, our BrightFocus Chats series connects patients and their loved ones with the information they need most.”
Glaucoma impacts more than 3 million people in the U.S. and is a leading cause of blindness among Blacks and Hispanics. Currently, there is no cure for glaucoma; however, through early diagnosis and treatment, the disease can be controlled before vision loss or blindness occurs.
National Glaucoma Research (NGR), a BrightFocus Foundation program, funds innovative research worldwide. Since inception, NGR has awarded nearly $47 million in funding across 474 cutting-edge research projects on the causes and potential prevention and treatment of glaucoma.
The first episode will feature Thasarat Vajaranant, MD, Illinois Eye and Ear (University of Illinois, Chicago), an ophthalmic surgeon, physician-scientist, educator, and recipient of a 2019-2023 National Glaucoma Research grant.
“I Have Glaucoma—Now What?”
Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022
1-2 p.m. ET
Participants can dial in directly at (877) 229-8493 (passcode: 112435).
“We are thrilled to partner with BrightFocus Foundation to launch the Glaucoma Chats program. This partnership will help ensure that people have access to information about glaucoma, from the basics to the latest advances, to help manage life with glaucoma,” said Jullia Rosdahl, MD, PhD, chair of the American Glaucoma Society Patient Engagement subcommittee.
Upcoming BrightFocus Chats:
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Oct. 26: Adult Stem Cells as a Treatment Target for AMD with Drs. Jeffrey Stern and Sally Temple, co-founders of The Neural Stem Cell Institute
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Nov. 9: Treatments for Open Angle Glaucoma with Dr. Tak Yee Tania Tai, ophthalmologist, Icahn School of Medicine of Mount Sinai
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Nov. 30: Potential Treatment for Advanced Macular Degeneration with Dr. Maria Richman, low vision rehabilitation optometrist, Shore Family Eyecare
About BrightFocus Foundation
BrightFocus Foundation is a premier nonprofit funder of research to defeat Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Through its flagship research programs—Alzheimer’s Disease Research, National Glaucoma Research, and Macular Degeneration Research—the Foundation is currently supporting a $75 million portfolio of 287 scientific projects worldwide. BrightFocus has awarded nearly $275 million in groundbreaking medical research funding since inception and shares the latest research findings, expert information, and bilingual disease resources to empower the millions impacted by these devasting diseases. Join our community at brightfocus.org.
About the American Glaucoma Society
The American Glaucoma Society is composed of glaucoma specialists dedicated to sharing clinical and scientific information for the benefit of patients, colleagues, fellows, and residents.
Contact:
Julia Roth
BrightFocus Foundation
jroth@brightfocus.org
301-556-9382
Kaci Baez
BrightFocus Foundation
kbaez@brightfocus.org
301-556-9370
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