Studies show a strong link between smoking and the development of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a condition that primarily affects the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision. AMD is a leading cause of blindness in older adults and has no cure.
Prevent Blindness Northern California works hard to ensure that people who need eye care are linked with the appropriate care by teaming with community clinics, eye doctors, and community programs.
Some vision problems must be identified and corrected before a child reaches grade school otherwise it may not be treatable later in life. PBNC vision screens 25,000 preschoolers annually. The $5 it takes to screen one child is minimal compared to the steep cost of visual impairment over a person's lifetime.
The See Well to Learn Iniative provides comprehensive vision care to the most under-served children in the Bay Area by offering direct services at their schools.