As Part of November’s Diabetes-related Eye Disease Month, Prevent Blindness TexasLaunches New Resources to Educate Public on the Effects Diabetes has on Vision
– Prevent Blindness Texas provides free resources including innovative diabetes and vision toll-free audio resource, webpages, fact sheets, and educational videos to help prevent vision loss and blindness from diabetes –
TX (Nov. 1, 2025) – Prevent Blindness Texas is offering new resources to the public as part of itsDiabetes-related Eye Disease Month in November.
According to the study, “Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy in the US in 2021,” approximately one in four Americans ages 40 and older with diabetes have Diabetic Retinopathy. A higher percentage of Black (8.7 percent) and Hispanic (7.1 percent) individuals with diabetes are at risk for vision loss compared to their White (3.6 percent) counterparts. There are significant variations by state and county which reflect related factors such as access to eye care and resources.
Diabetic retinopathy can lead to other serious vision problems including diabetes-related macular edema, cataract, glaucoma, and retinal detachment. And, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.
Fortunately, the risk of vision loss and blindness from diabetes-related eye disease can be significantly lessened if it is detected and treated early. That’s why Prevent Blindness Texas is offering free educational resources that include webpages, fact sheets and social media graphics in English and Spanish, and a variety of educational videos.
New this year, Prevent Blindness Texas is launching the Prevent Blindness Eye Health Audio Library offering free, 24/7 access to critical diabetes eye health information, accessible via voice commands in both English and Spanish. Patients or care partners are invited to call 1-833-998-5850 for medically vetted information on diabetes-related eye disease, eye exam preparation and scheduling, condition management strategies, and specialized guidance for pregnant patients and the newly diagnosed. Co-created with patients and providers, and supported by funding from Regeneron and Genentech, this resource is designed to provide prevention information accessible to diverse audiences.
For eye care providers, Prevent Blindness Texas will also soon be releasing a modular education program focused on patient-centered, bias-free diabetes and vision care. Working with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology’s ophthalmic allied health professionals Continuing Education (CE) program as well as the American Optometric Association’s paraoptometric CE program, this new effort works to identify gaps in care and patient experiences. This program is also made possible through funding support from Regeneron and Genentech.
As part of the Juvenile Diabetes and Vision Health resource, new “Diabetes + Your Eyes: Vision Health in Youth” fact sheets (available in English and Spanish) are available including “Diabetes: Be Your Teen’s Vision Hero!” and “Diabetes: Your Vision, Your Life.” These resources are supported by funding from UnitedHealthcare.
The Prevent Blindness Diabetes-related Eye Disease video series includes a variety of educational videos designed for the public.
- The Patient Perspective: Diabetes-related Eye Disease
- Diabetes and Your Eyes ABCs
- Newly Diagnosed with Diabetes: What you need to know about your eyes
- Introduction to the Diabetes + the Eyes Educational Toolkit
An upcoming Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health podcast hosts a special roundtable discussion about diabetes and eye health. Guests will include Rajeev S. Ramchandran, MD, MBA, associate professor of ophthalmology at University of Rochester Flaum Eye Institute; Talana Townsend, president of Visually Impaired Advocates – Houston; and Nita Sinha, senior director, Public Health at Prevent Blindness.
Finally, Prevent Blindness Texas recently joined in the new Diabetes + the Eyes Advisory Committee. The all-volunteer committee brings together leaders from eyecare and public health, patient advocates, diabetes-education professionals, and more. Among many of the group’s charges are improving diabetes and eye health programs and education, increasing access to quality eye care and treatment, drafting and advancing federal and state policy, and promoting research and surveillance.
“By educating patients on how to prevent vision loss from diabetes and implementing systems and programs that increase access to eye care across the United States, we will empower millions of patients with diabetes to avoid unnecessary vision loss and blindness,” said Dr. Ramchandran, member of the Prevent Blindness Diabetes + the Eyes Advisory Committee.
For general diabetes-related eye disease information, please visit http://preventblindnesstexas.org/diabetes.
For more information on Prevent Blindness Eye Health Audio Library, visit https://preventblindness.org/audio-library. For a free listing of organizations and services that provide financial assistance for vision care in English or Spanish, please visit https://preventblindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information/.
About Prevent Blindness Texas
Established in 1956 and incorporated in 1965, Prevent Blindness Texas is the state’s leading eye health and safety nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight. At Prevent Blindness Texas, our vision is vision – making healthy eyes a priority in Texas. We focus on improving the state’s vision and eye health by enhancing community capacity through our core competencies of early detection, patient support, systems enhancement, public policy, public awareness, and health education. Prevent Blindness Texas touches the lives of thousands of Texans through our sight-saving programs and services through our network of volunteers and offices located statewide. For more information, or to contribute to the sight-saving fund, call 1-888-98-SIGHT or, visit us on the Web at www.preventblindnesstexas.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.