Kirk Pengilly, Australian rock icon and glaucoma patient, will front Glaucoma Australia’s new risk awareness campaign, ‘Don’t Be Blindsided’, in support of World Glaucoma Week. The campaign urges Australians to have their eyes checked by an optometrist every two years to prevent the irreversible damage caused by un-treated glaucoma.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, effecting 300,000 Australians, 50% of which are unaware that they have the disease.
Television and radio community service announcements featuring Kirk Pengilly have been created for the ‘Don’t Be Blindsided’ campaign
Annie Gibbins, CEO of Glaucoma Australia, says “Nine out of ten Australians value their eyesight above any other sense, yet as many as one in three Australians cannot recall an eye test in the past two years.
“Kirk’s personal experience shows that glaucoma can affect anyone as he was 29 years old and had no family history of the disease,” said Ms Gibbins.
“His passionate plea for Australian’s to have their eyes tested will help raise awareness as early detection and intervention is key to saving ones eyesight.”
“When I got glaucoma it really hit home at how lucky I was to not lose my sight,” says Kirk Pengilly. “An eye test is quick and painless and could be the difference between losing your vision, or not.”
Television and radio community service announcements featuring Kirk Pengilly have been created for the ‘Don’t Be Blindsided’ campaign and will launch throughout March. World Glaucoma Week is 8-14 March 2020.
