- Prevent Blindness to host four webinars through 2026, engaging public health and healthcare allies, patients, partners, and advocates to strengthen systems of care, improve access to vision and eye health services, and more -

CHICAGO, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Prevent Blindness, the nation's leading patient advocacy organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight, is kicking off the first webinar in its Focus on Eye Health Webinar Series, on May 19, 2026. This year's theme, "Powering Partnerships to Advance Eye Health," will weave through all four webinars of this series throughout the year, and will include expert and patient-led presentations, on-demand educational content, resources, and opportunities for collaboration.

The 2026 Focus on Eye Health Webinar Series is designed for individuals living with eye disease, care partners, patient advocacy organizations, foundations, educators, health professionals, policy makers, employers, and community health groups. The Focus on Eye Health Webinar Series will mark the transition away from the one-day annual Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Summit.

"The Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Webinar Series provides panelists and  attendees a unique opportunity to learn about local, national, and global efforts to strengthen vision and eye health programs, and to discuss policies,  challenges, and best practices, and opportunities to become involved in advancing equitable access to eyecare," said Jeff Todd, president & CEO of Prevent Blindness.

The first webinar in the 2026 Focus on Eye Health Webinar Series, "Vision Policy Across the Lifespan," will be held on May 19, 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET. Free registration is now open. This roundtable discussion will explore how partnerships can advance key policy opportunities impacting eye care across the lifespan, including children's vision and the Early Detection of Vision Impairments for Children Act, as well as chronic disease and access issues in working-age adults and healthy aging.

Moderator:
Josie Cooper, Executive Director, Alliance for Patient Access

Panelists:

• Sara Everett Brown, MPA, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Prevent Blindness
• Scott Haber, MPA, Director, Public Health Advocacy at American Academy of Ophthalmology
• M. Araba Otoo OD, MPH, FAAO, Chair, American Public Health Association Vision Care Section, CEO, Cherish Eyesight & Vision Inc., and first-ever recipient of the Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award
• Leela Baggett, Esq., Coordinator, Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid (ITEM) Coalition '

The second webinar in the Focus on Eye Health Webinar Series, "Collaborative Solutions for Expanding Eye Care Access in Special Populations" will be held August 6, from 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET, with webinars three and four in initial planning stages. All webinar recordings will be available on the Prevent Blindness YouTube channel.

The Focus on Eye Health Webinar Series is made available at no cost to attendees thanks to the generous support of the event sponsors. To date, Platinum Sponsors include Genentech and PhRMA. Silver Sponsors are Alcon Laboratories, Keenova Therapeutics, Kyowa Kirin, Lions Clubs International, and Research to Prevent Blindness.

For more event information, and to register for the first 2026 Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Webinar Series event, visit PreventBlindness.org/foeh. For information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sue Corbett, Organizational Project Administrator, at FOEH@PreventBlindness.org.  

About Prevent Blindness
Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading eye health and safety organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight. The organization raises awareness about the importance of eye health and its connection to overall health, advocates for eye health policies and funding, supports professional education and training, and empowers those living with vision loss. With the generous support of its network of affiliates, volunteers, partners, and the public, Prevent Blindness provides free resources on the full spectrum of eye diseases and conditions that can significantly affect vision and quality of life, and advances initiatives that identify vision problems early and connect individuals to eye care. For more information, visit PreventBlindness.org, and follow Prevent Blindness on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.

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SOURCE Prevent Blindness