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Abstract:
The importance of an informational outreach program focused on eye health and visual impairment is underscored by surveys showing that the vast majority of Americans have misperceptions about or have never heard of low vision. This article uses the National Eye Institute's Low Vision Education Program as a model for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a public health education initiative. The components of an effective public education program are outlined in the context of what people know, don't know, and want to know about vision loss.
In keeping with the intent and obligation of public health educators to provide the best available information about advances in health and vision care, the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has developed a marketing message-Make vision a health priority-designed to encourage Americans to work toward the goal of incorporating eye health and vision care into their health maintenance routine. The slogan was developed in consultation with eye health professionals. NEI, working in conjunction with allied agencies and organizations, advocates that individuals adopt sight-saving strategies as an integral part of health care. This public health message is proving effective in focusing the attention of individuals and communities on methods for maintaining and improving vision health and eye care.
Through its National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP), NEI conducts large-scale public and professional health education efforts focused on glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and low vision, and additional topics are added as warranted by medical advances. NEHEP, established in 1991, is coordinated by NEI in partnership with national organizations in the public and private sector, with the goal of increasing awareness among health care professionals and the public about scientifically based health information that can be applied to preserving sight and preventing blindness.
NEHEP partners work together to reach identified target audiences, informing them of the importance of early detection and treatment of eye diseases and conditions, particularly glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and low vision. This outreach effort was developed to enlighten and persuade people in the United States to make appropriate changes in behavior in the interest of improving their eye health. Its stated aims (NEI, 2004) are to implement large-scale information, education, and...