News & Information
AAO Leadership Development Program (LDP) XXI, Class of 2019 graduates
Jordana Smith, MD Graduates from AAO Leadership Development Program
On Monday, October 14th during the Society Presidents’ Recognition and Awards Session held in conjunction with AAO 2019 in San Francisco, Jordana Smith, MD was recognized for completing her participation in the Academy’s Leadership Development Program XXI, Class of 2019. Dr. Smith was part of a select group of nineteen participants chosen for the LDP XXI, Class of 2019 from among a large group of physicians who were nominated by state, subspecialty and specialized interest societies. The class also included the first participant from Africa who was nominated by the African Ophthalmology Council.
Jordana Smith, MD being recognized by AAO LDP Director Linda Tsai, MD and Senior Secretary for Advocacy Dan Briceland, MD
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Jordana Smith, MD pictured with LDP classmates, Linda Tsai, MD – AAO Director, Leadership Development Program, Kurt Heitman, MD AAO Secretary for State Affairs and Dan Briceland, MD, AAO Senior Secretary for Advocacy
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In January 2019, Dr. Jordana Smith took part in a 2½ day interactive session in San Francisco covering a wide variety of leadership and association management topics. The meeting also included a visit to AAO headquarters to hear from the 2019 Academy President George Williams, MD, MD, CEO David Parke II, MD and Academy Vice Presidents on key priorities for the Academy. Next was a trip in April to attend the Mid-Year Forum 2019 in Washington D.C. where Dr. Smith met with Arizona Members of Congress and their staff to discuss issues important to the medical profession as part of Congressional Advocacy Day. During a dedicated LDP session on Capitol Hill, Dr. Smith and her LDP colleagues also heard from 2019 US Congressman Roger Marshall about building effective relationships with legislators and how best to advocate on behalf of patients.
During the final LDP XXI session in San Francisco, Dr. Smith heard from leadership of the AAO and the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology regarding global collaborative efforts and key priority issues for organized ophthalmology and was encouraged to put her leadership skills to good use.
New Research Projects
The Foundation Fighting Blindness has committed $6.5 million for 14 new research projects for inherited retinal diseases. The newly funded research efforts include development of a CRISPR/Cas9 therapy for retinitis pigmentosa, a retinal imaging technique using artificial intelligence, and several therapies that have strong potential to treat a wide range of inherited retinal diseases.
Childproofing Your Home for a Child with Vision Impairment
Childproofing your home is an ongoing and potentially costly process (see how much childproofing costs). This routine is made more complex for the parents of a child with a visual impairment. As your child grows and begins to explore their world, there are dozens of opportunities for accidents around the house. The average home is fraught with potential dangers for a child with low vision, partial vision or blindness. However, the home is also a place where your child will develop all the sensory skills they need to navigate the outside world. As a parent of a visually-impaired child, you will need to strike a balance between protecting your child from harm and opening their minds to the vibrancy of life. The right strategy for childproofing is crucial to success.
Read more at: https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/childproof-for-visual-impairment/
Read more at: https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/childproof-for-visual-impairment/
Dear State, Subspecialty and Specialized Interest Society Colleagues:
The American Academy of Ophthalmology's Public Relations team develops template materials for your use in promoting monthly eye health observances. The materials for Children's Eye Health and Safety Month in August are now available on the educational resources page of the Academy's EyeSmart® public information website.
Children's Eye Health and Safety Month materials include a template press release, a template newsletter article, and social media posts. Several additional articles on children's eye health topics are also available on the educational resources page.
These resources are offered as part of the Academy's continuing effort to provide you with tools to help disseminate important information to the public about eye diseases and conditions and to raise the visibility of ophthalmology.
Your society is encouraged to contact local media after updating the template news release. Please make sure that you “personalize” the release by including your society's name and contact information. Also, feel free to modify the release as appropriate, including the addition of quotes by your society's leadership as well as other information about your particular ophthalmology organization.
To request lists for media in your area, or if you have any questions about the monthly press releases and tools, please contact the Academy's Public Relations Department at media@aao.org.
Dianna L. Seldomridge, MD, MBA
Secretary for Communications
The American Academy of Ophthalmology's Public Relations team develops template materials for your use in promoting monthly eye health observances. The materials for Children's Eye Health and Safety Month in August are now available on the educational resources page of the Academy's EyeSmart® public information website.
Children's Eye Health and Safety Month materials include a template press release, a template newsletter article, and social media posts. Several additional articles on children's eye health topics are also available on the educational resources page.
These resources are offered as part of the Academy's continuing effort to provide you with tools to help disseminate important information to the public about eye diseases and conditions and to raise the visibility of ophthalmology.
Your society is encouraged to contact local media after updating the template news release. Please make sure that you “personalize” the release by including your society's name and contact information. Also, feel free to modify the release as appropriate, including the addition of quotes by your society's leadership as well as other information about your particular ophthalmology organization.
To request lists for media in your area, or if you have any questions about the monthly press releases and tools, please contact the Academy's Public Relations Department at media@aao.org.
Dianna L. Seldomridge, MD, MBA
Secretary for Communications
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month
Look to the Future: Get an Eye Exam to Save Your Vision from Glaucoma
More than four million people in the United States have glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve and destroy eyesight. Unfortunately, nearly half of those with glaucoma are not even aware that they have it. Are you one of them? You owe it to yourself to find out by getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam that includes having drops put in your eye. With its painless and gradual loss of vision, glaucoma may have no early warning signs, but it can be detected during a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Eye Institute (NEI), one of the National Institutes of Health, said, "NEI-funded research has shown that treatment during the early stages of glaucoma can control the disease and prevent future vision loss and blindness. This is why NEI encourages people at higher risk for glaucoma to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam every one to two years."
Anyone can develop glaucoma, but those at higher risk for developing the disease include:
If glaucoma is detected early, treatments such as eye drops or surgery can slow or stop vision loss. High pressure inside the eye, which may be associated with glaucoma, does not by itself mean that you have glaucoma. Only a comprehensive dilated eye exam and evaluation of the optic nerve by an eye care professional can tell you that.
If you know someone at risk for glaucoma, let them know you care - send them a glaucoma e-card. For more information, visit www.nei.nih.gov/glaucoma.
More than four million people in the United States have glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve and destroy eyesight. Unfortunately, nearly half of those with glaucoma are not even aware that they have it. Are you one of them? You owe it to yourself to find out by getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam that includes having drops put in your eye. With its painless and gradual loss of vision, glaucoma may have no early warning signs, but it can be detected during a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Eye Institute (NEI), one of the National Institutes of Health, said, "NEI-funded research has shown that treatment during the early stages of glaucoma can control the disease and prevent future vision loss and blindness. This is why NEI encourages people at higher risk for glaucoma to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam every one to two years."
Anyone can develop glaucoma, but those at higher risk for developing the disease include:
- African Americans over age 40
- Everyone over age 60, especially Mexican Americans
- People with a family history of the disease
If glaucoma is detected early, treatments such as eye drops or surgery can slow or stop vision loss. High pressure inside the eye, which may be associated with glaucoma, does not by itself mean that you have glaucoma. Only a comprehensive dilated eye exam and evaluation of the optic nerve by an eye care professional can tell you that.
If you know someone at risk for glaucoma, let them know you care - send them a glaucoma e-card. For more information, visit www.nei.nih.gov/glaucoma.