FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Communications and Marketing

Anne Manning

(901) 448-4072

 

Free Glaucoma Screenings at Forrest Park

and National Civil Rights Museum

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Memphis, Tenn. (August 2, 2006) — This Thursday, August 3, free glaucoma screenings will be conducted at Forrest Park (Madison and Dunlap, across from the UT Health Science Center (UTHSC) Student Alumni Center) and on Friday, August 4, at the Mulberry entrance to the National Civil Rights Museum.  This community service is sponsored by the Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus Foundation (FCGCF) in collaboration with the UTHSC Hamilton Eye Institute.  The FCGCF supports the activities of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus, a group of United States Congress members who are dedicated to helping all Americans fight glaucoma and other eye diseases.  The organization provides diagnostic screening opportunities for high risk glaucoma populations in their home districts across the nation.

The FCGCF mobile unit, which will be parked at both Memphis locations this week, is equipped with the latest technology for conducting vision and glaucoma screening.  Screenings will be conducted by UTHSC eye care professionals assisted by UTHSC medical students and volunteers from Prevent Blindness of Tennessee.           

            Glaucoma often has no symptoms until vision has been permanently decreased.  With early treatment, eyesight can be protected against serious vision loss and blindness.  Those at the highest risk are African-Americans over the age of 40, who are five to seven times more likely to develop glaucoma, and Hispanic people.  Also at risk are anyone over the age of 60, those with a family history of glaucoma, and anyone with diabetes or high blood pressure.

As the flagship statewide academic health system, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is focused on a four-tier mission of education, research, patient care and community service, all in support of a single goal: to improve the health of Tennesseans. Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main campus, which includes six colleges, is located in Memphis.  UTHSC has additional College of Medicine campus locations in Knoxville and Chattanooga.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

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