National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 to October 15, 2022, commemorates how U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities have influenced and contributed to American society at large. In marking Hispanic Heritage Month, the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that it’s time to “’celebrar tus bellos ojos’” (celebrate your beautiful eyes). NEI emphasizes ensuring that Hispanic communities have the information needed to protect their eye health, especially those individuals at higher risk for eye diseases, and highlights the career experiences of eye health professionals who are Hispanic. Individuals of Hispanic/Latino origin have high rates of conditions like diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma and “almost 8 out of 10 (of these individuals) don’t know they have it” and “Too many Hispanics/Latinos aren’t getting regular dilated eye exams,” which can detect eye diseases when they are often easier to treat. Public education efforts focus on heightening awareness of the importance of regular eye exams and treatment for eye diseases. To spread these messages, NEI’s National Eye Health and Education Program (NEHEP) offers a variety of resources in English and Spanish, including handout articles, fact sheets, infographics, videos, and more. Find out more by visiting the NEI webpage on Hispanic Heritage Month. For additional information on the background of the commemoration, check out the History.com listing on Hispanic Heritage Month.
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