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Home » Education » NEHEP » NEHEP Programs » Diabetic Eye Disease » Diabetic Eye Disease Outreach Opportunities: Community Activities

NEHEP Programs

Diabetic Eye Disease

Outreach Opportunities:
Community Activities

Join other health centers, medical professionals, businesses, employers, and citizens across the country who are helping people learn about diabetic eye disease. Every effort helps people with diabetes preserve their sight and prevent blindness. Visit the secure NEI publications catalog to find diabetic eye disease education materials to use as part of your eye health education activities.

Here are some ideas for educating your community about diabetic eye disease:

  • Provide diabetic eye disease educational materials to patients and their families. Distribute the materials at health clinics, social events, meetings, educational settings, of after faith services.

  • Establish a healthy vision information center in your health center, community center, office, or employee cafeteria.

  • Display diabetic eye disease educational materials in your office, educational setting, or anywhere people at higher risk for diabetic eye disease will see them.

  • Include print PSAs in organizational newsletters, community phone books, shopping circulars, and coupon mailers. Use them as inserts in prescriptions, paychecks, or shopping bags. Encourage local businesses to use them on restaurant receipts, placemats, take-out food containers, and cups.

  • Arrange for eye care professionals and other health professionals to speak at civic, employee, cultural, faith, and fraternal events about the importance of comprehensive dilated eye exams and distribute Diabetic Eye Disease/Glaucoma Medicare Benefit Card.

  • Record the radio PSAs and play them for callers on hold at health clinics, insurance companies, or hospitals. Play them on your public audio systems.

  • Arrange for volunteers to remind people at higher risk for diabetic eye disease of when they are due for a comprehensive dilated eye exam. Encourage them to provide transportation for visits to eye care professionals for these exams.

  • Ask hospitals to include information about diabetic eye disease in their medical continuing education programs.

  • Research community-based eye health education programs using the Healthy Vision Community Programs Database to get ideas and inspiration for your eye health education program about diabetic eye disease.

  • Refer to the Healthy Vision Community Action Guide for planning tools, media materials, and other important information designed to help you organize eye health education in your community.

  • Issue a proclamation about the importance of encouraging people with diabetes to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.  Proclaim “Diabetic Eye Disease Outreach (Day, Week, or Month).”

  • Host events that can raise awareness, such as a walking tour, mini-golf tournament, car wash, bicycle ride, or chess tournament.

  • Sponsor a health fair, make room for an exhibit, or provide space for a table or booth to distribute diabetic eye disease educational materials.

  • Participate in events and activities sponsored by local diabetes organizations.  Take advantage of community events, such as local health fairs, festivals, sports events, or diabetes walk-a-thons.



 

This page was last modified in July 2008

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