Aging Eye Summit Series: Focus on Diabetic Retinopathy

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REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED.

Thursday, June 12, 2008
The InterContinental Hotel & Conference Center (adjacent to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
9801 Carnegie Ave
Cleveland, OH 44106

For Vision Researchers, Clinicians, Patients, Public Health and Rehabilitation Professionals, Aging Network Professionals, Bio-Science Funders & Leaders from Government and the Bio-Tech Industry.

Please note seating is limited to the first 150 registrants. Registration, including continental breakfast and lunch, is complimentary.

Goals:

• Raise awareness among key stakeholders and decision-makers about the scope and impact of diabetic eye disease in Ohio and develop collaborations to meet the increased demands for medical, public health, social service, rehabilitation, long-term care and government services to support the 216,861 Ohioans who have diabetic retinopathy now and the 433,722 who will have the disease by the year 2030.
• Increase awareness regarding the importance of maintaining control of blood sugar levels and having a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year for people with diabetes.
• Increase awareness and support among Ohio legislators regarding the need for health insurance coverage for diabetes testing equipment, supplies, education, and increased access to vision care.
• Increase vision research in Ohio and Ohio vision research collaborations that seek the causes of and cures for sight-robbing eye diseases.
• Build partnerships and collaborations among key stakeholders and decision-makers that will share the challenges of caring for the vision needs of Ohio’s aging population.
• Promote prevention of diabetic retinopathy through public and professional education, resource development and distribution to the public, and incorporation of disease preventative messaging in existing health education programs.

The Need:

Diabetic Retinopathy involves abnormal growth of blood vessels in the back of the eye which can leak resulting in loss of vision. It is a common complication of diabetes and between 40 to 45 percent of Americans diagnosed with diabetes have some stage of diabetic retinopathy.

In Ohio, 131,034 people ages 18+ that know they have diabetes report having diabetic retinopathy (20.4%).  Because as many as  29% of people with diabetes don't know they have the disease,  there may be as many as 904,678  Ohioans ages 18+ with diabetes with 184,554  of them having diabetic retinopathy.  With cases of age-related eye diseased expected to double by 2030, the number of Ohioans with diabetic retinopathy could increase to 369,108 Ohioans.
The challenge for research is to find treatments to delay and prevent diabetic retinopathy.

Planning Committee

Richard T. Bunner M.A.-Prevent Blindness Ohio, Cindy Clark-Ohio Department of Aging, Marc Cloutier PhD.-Ohio Department of Development, Bonnie Hollopeter-OHIO KePRO, Thomas Joyce-Ohio Department of Health, Peggy Keating-Cleveland Sight Center, Tim Kern PhD.- Case Western Reserve University, Larry Leguire PhD.-Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Neema Mayhugh, PhD.-Cole Eye Institute, Robert D. Newcomb, OD, MPH-The Ohio State University College of Optometry, Sharon Schmidt, PhD-Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission and Sherry Williams, Kira Baldonado, and Laura Schwartz-Prevent Blindness Ohio.

Sponsors

The Aging Eye Summit Series: Focus on Diabetic Retinopathy is presented by: The Cole Eye Institute-The Cleveland Clinic, Ohio’s Aging Eye Public Private Partnership, and Prevent Blindness Ohio.

Contact Us

For more information contact: Laura Schwartz 
e-mail: lauras@pbohio.org
Phone: 614-464-2020 ext.112 or Toll free @ 800-301-2020
Fax:  614-481-9670
Mail: Diabetic Retinopathy Summit
Ohio’s Aging Eye Public Private Partnership
c/o Prevent Blindness Ohio
1500 W. Third Ave, Suite 200
Columbus, Ohio 43212