Prevent Childhood Vision Loss: Dr. Mandi Conway’s Mission

World-renowned retinal specialist Dr. Mandi Conway was asked by the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation to speak at the 2016 Juvenile Arthritis Conference in July at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix.

Dr. Conway highlighted the plight of children who have severe vision problems even leading to blindness as early as 18 months old due to complications of JA. Unfortunately, children with JA cannot verbalize to their parents that they are having vision problems. Because parents are unaware of their children’s vision problems, it can lead to life-altering consequences for their child’s future. Dr. Conway further emphasized the importance of educating physicians and expanding awareness of the need for early screening to curb children’s vision loss and potential blindness through effective eye treatment.

“Parents are usually surprised when they realize their child’s eyes are affected by JA and sadly, by the time this is diagnosed, the eyes may already have significant damage already” says Dr. Conway.

For this reason, Dr. Conway and the University of Arizona teamed up with the Arizona Ophthalmological Society (AOS) Foundation to make eye screening more accessible to children. This partnership is supporting the Mobile Eye Clinic that serves the population of Arizona. University of Arizona is supporting their quest to accelerate the program by providing medical students and faculty from the Department of Ophthalmology to help man the mobile clinics and conduct the pediatric eye screenings.

Dr. Conway stated that “This is a perfect outreach program for the University and the Department of Ophthalmology and it is a great way to give back to the community.”

The Mobile Eye Clinic conducts free eye screenings for children. Since vision problems are among the telltale signs of JA, early screenings will help prevent these children from vision loss because of the disease. By bringing the Mobile Eye Clinic to Arizona Communities, the vision of many children with JA may be saved.

About Juvenile Arthritis
Juvenile arthritis affects over 294,000 Americans under the age of 18. Classified as an autoimmune disorder, it causes pain, joint swelling, and stiffness that can become debilitating over a period of time. To make things worse, 10 to 20 percent of children who suffer from JA are at risk of developing severe uveitis, an eye problem that may eventually lead to blindness. If left untreated, it can cause vision problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, permanent vision damage, and blindness.

About Dr. Mandi Conway
Dr. Mandi Conway is considered as one of the most renowned retinal specialists in the world. In the last two decades, she has given hundreds of oral presentations related to research and other ophthalmology-related topics. She has even spoken internationally in the Dominican Republic, Central America, Rome, Hong Kong, and Venice, among others. A forerunner in the industry, she also has over 100 publications in scientific journals and books.

Dr. Conway specializes in medical and surgical retinal care, including Retinal Examinations, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Macular Degeneration, among others. She is currently the Interim Chair of Ophthalmology at the University Of Arizona College Of Medicine, and teaches Clinical Ophthalmology at the Tulane University College of Medicine in New Orleans.

Arizona Retinal Specialists provides exemplary Retinal Medical and Surgical Care for the eyes of clients in Sun City West Arizona and the surrounding area with focus on degenerative retinal eye diseases. More information about Dr. Mandi Conway and the Arizona Retinal Specialists may be accessed at http://www.arizonaretinalspecialists.com/ and Dr. Conway's website http://www.drmandiconway.com/

19052 N R H Johnson Blvd, Sun City West, AZ 85375

This release was published on openPR.