“Join the conversation about mental health this Healthy Vision Month.” The National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced that it is highlighting the connection between vision loss and mental health in the resources released for the month-long commemoration. The theme for 2024, “Reframe Your Future,” emphasizes steps people with visual impairment can take to “live well with vision loss.” Having a vision impairment can pose challenges in performing activities of daily living, and “the stigma around losing vision can be isolating—causing feelings of fear, anxiety, or grief.” These feelings are shared by many. According to Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States, with about half of all adults reporting that they are lonely, the nation is facing “an epidemic of loneliness.” Loneliness is also linked with health issues, including a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, and more. That is why “Healthy Vision Month 2024 is focused on helping people with a visual impairment know how to access vision rehabilitation services, mental health support, and social connection.” These resources help people reframe and “live their best lives with vision loss.” NEI provides specific recommendations and information about vision rehabilitation and its benefits, with fact sheets, videos, newsletter content, social media posts, and more to advance these messages. To combat the loneliness epidemic, NEI and the U.S. Surgeon General are working in partnership to promote the “5-for-5” Connection Challenge, with specific steps to take for five days, to help people build and strengthen relationships with others in their daily lives. To learn more about this year’s commemoration, visit the NEI webpages on Healthy Vision Month 2024: Reframe Your Future and Healthy Vision Month Newsletter Content.
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