Glaucoma New Zealand (GNZ) is running a comprehensive awareness campaign leading up to this year’s World Glaucoma Week (12-18 March) encouraging 40-year-olds to seek out their local optometrist and get an eye test.
Although no one wants to focus on what life may look like with low vision – and most people with low vision live good lives – as a charity, GNZ needed to create a campaign that makes people in their forties realise that eye health is crucial, said GNZ’s general manager Pippa Martin. “We hear from newly diagnosed patients who are distressed at being unable to drive, work, travel, or do activities as easily. Without exception, they all say ‘Why didn’t I know about glaucoma sooner, especially since it can have no symptoms?’ Hence our campaign, highlighting the importance of forty-somethings getting regular eye health tests with their local optometrist.”
Martin said it’s vital to show glaucoma being the silent vision thief, every year robbing Kiwis of the things they love, their ability to drive, work, read, play sport or watch TV. Delivered in partnership with OPSM, Specsavers, Glaukos and AbbVie, the campaign includes six weeks of social media activities (20 Feb-31 March), outdoor posters, two videos for sharing on social media – one with GNZ ambassador Patrick Gower and one with a newly diagnosed patient, a Women’s Day article on a patient story, a breakfast TV interview with GNZ chair Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer and OPSM activity in Britomart offering eye checks (to be confirmed).
Martin said she hopes New Zealand optometrists will support the campaign throughout March by referring all glaucoma patients to GNZ, sharing campaign posts on online channels, registering for the GNZ professional education programme and donating to help GNZ increase patient education and support programmes.
Optometrists can access campaign material, including posters, videos, patient stories and more at https://glaucoma.org.nz/glaucoma-awareness-month/
