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Alcon launches cataract awareness campaign

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FORT WORTH, Texas – Alcon Laboratories Inc., a division of Novartis, has partnered with actress Cheryl Ladd on a campaign to raise public awareness about cataracts, a condition that can impair vision.

cataractEYEQAccording to Prevent Blindness, a national patient advocacy organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight, cataracts are a leading cause of blindness among older adults in the United States and more than half of all Americans have cataracts by the time they are 80 years old.

Alcon’s Know Your Cataract EYE-Q campaign is meant to address the general lack of understanding about the condition and challenge Americans to test their Cataract EYE-Q, and learn about cataracts and their treatment options.

“My husband previously had cataract surgery and during the process we realized how little we both knew about the condition and procedure — we found out that there are a lot of misconceptions about cataracts,” said Cheryl Ladd. “It was important for both us to increase our Cataract EYE-Q so we could ask the right questions to inform our decision making process. I hope my personal journey will inspire others to equip themselves with the information needed to talk to their doctor.”

In a 2016 US survey of approximately 1,000 adults aged 60 and over who have been diagnosed with cataracts, only 25% of respondents said they had a full understanding of the condition, and 20% thought there are other options besides surgery to treat the condition. Nearly half (45%) of respondents did not know whether cataracts are preventable or not. Additionally, the survey demonstrated that three in four (75%) respondents did not realize cataract surgery can also correct other vision conditions such as astigmatism, which is a common, treatable imperfection in the curvature of the eye causing blurred vision.

“Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most frequently performed procedures each year, requiring little recovery time or inconvenience to patients’ daily lives,” said Edward Holland, M.D., director of cornea services at Cincinnati Eye Institute. “In fact, recent advances in lens technology and treatment options make it possible to correct cataracts as well as other vision conditions and can help reduce the need for corrective glasses or contact lenses following surgery.”

During the month of June, which is nationally recognized as Cataract Awareness Month by Prevent Blindness, consumers are being urged to visit www.CataractEYEQ.com to take the Cataract EYE-Quiz.


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