Newswise — Chicago (August 14, 2024) —The American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) has released new national television and radio public service announcements to highlight the critical role retina specialists play in protecting millions of Americans from blindness caused by retinal detachment, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and other retinal diseases.

In English- and Spanish-language television and radio ads, America’s retinal specialists are urging the public to protect their eyes from preventable blindness and vision loss by promptly seeing a retinal specialist at the first signs of retinal disease.

Retinal diseases such as AMD, diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment are among the leading causes of blindness and visual impairment in the United States. These diseases affect nearly 30 million Americans, and the resulting vision loss leads to a whopping $8 billion in lost productivity each year, underscoring the far-reaching consequences.

“If you have a heart problem, see a cardiologist because these doctors have the best training and specialization in treating heart disease. Likewise, Americans suffering from retinal disease should see retinal specialists, who have by far the most extensive and specialized training in preventing blindness from retinal disease,” said ASRS President Reginald J. Sanders, MD, FASRS. “Our goal is to encourage the public to prioritize their vision, understand the symptoms of retinal disease, and see a retinal specialist when needed to protect their most valuable sense, their sight.”

Retinal specialists are highly trained physicians and surgeons who treat retinal diseases in adults and children, as well as severe eye trauma. Common symptoms of retinal disease in adults include distortion or deformation of straight lines, loss of central vision, blurred or distorted vision, and the appearance of spots, floating particles, flashes of light, or a curtain-like shadow in the field of vision.

The PSAs include 30- and 60-second videos in English and Spanish, as well as audio versions of the spots. In each TV and radio spot, friends come together for a celebration, mention the expert care they received from a retina specialist, and encourage each other to pay close attention to their vision and to see a retina specialist at the first sign or symptom of retinal disease to maintain healthy vision.

The PSAs direct viewers to Find Your Retina Specialist (www.FindYourRetinaSpecialist.org), a landing page within the ASRS Patient Portal that provides detailed information about the education and training of retina specialists, the conditions they treat, the environment in which they practice, and what to expect during an appointment. The ASRS Patient Portal also offers comprehensive resources for retina patients, their families, and caregivers, including patient guides in English and Spanish, disease-specific fact sheets, patient stories, and more.

“By raising awareness of retinal disease and the need for early diagnosis and treatment, retinal specialists hope to give the public the information they need to protect their vision and live an active and independent life,” said Judy E. Kim, MD, FASRS, president of the ASRS Foundation. “If your vision has been saved or improved thanks to treatment from a retinal specialist, we encourage you to share information about retinal disease with friends and loved ones to ensure they know what steps to take to diagnose and treat retinal disease in a timely manner so they can ‘see for a lifetime.'”

Media can download the TV and radio spots for use here:

English: https://broadcastnewsresource.com/?p=9975&preview=1&_ppp=96f348d23f

Spanish: https://broadcastnewsresource.com/?p=9985&preview=1&_ppp=8313aea40c

Watch the TV spots in English and Spanish on the ASRS YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@amsocietyofretinaspecialists.

The public announcements are made possible in part by generous support from the Foundation of the American Society of Retina Specialists, Allergan, Genentech, Novartis, and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

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To ASRS

The American Society of Retinal Specialists (ASRS) is the world’s largest organization of retinal specialists, representing more than 3,000 physicians in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 63 countries. Retinal specialists are board-certified ophthalmologists who have completed advanced training in the medical and surgical treatment of retinal diseases. The mission of the ASRS is to provide a collegial and open forum for education, to promote the understanding and treatment of vitreoretinal diseases, and to enhance the ability of its members to provide the highest quality patient care. The mission of the Foundation of the American Society of Retina Specialists, the charitable arm of the American Society of Retina Specialists, is to improve the quality of life for all people with retinal diseases through retinal health education and awareness activities and to support the training of retinal specialists. For more information, visit ASRS.org. Like ASRS on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and follow us on X for the latest information on retinal health.