BrightFocus Foundation

Our urgent goal — saving mind and sight through research

We drive innovative research worldwide and support awareness to end Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.

About BrightFocus Foundation

BrightFocus: Investing in Science to Save Mind and Sight

We're here to help.

Explore our tools, tips, and expert advice to help you understand, manage, and live with Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration and glaucoma.

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Understand your diagnosis and get support with making decisions.
“I am living with a disease.”
Get useful information to help you manage your disease and care
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Learn what it’s like to care for someone and get caregiver tips.

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Expert

Caregiver Training: What You Need to Know

Family caregivers often ask how to find training to properly care for someone with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. This article summarizes what you need to know and where to obtain this information.

Monday, September 25, 2017
Expert

Glaucoma and Diabetes

People with diabetes are at risk for several types of glaucoma. In honor of Healthy Aging Month, this article provides helpful information on prevention strategies and treatment options.

Monday, September 18, 2017
New Diagnosis?

Managing a mind and sight disease is a journey. And you’re not alone. We can help.

Take the first step
Expert

What Causes Dementia?

Many people ask, “What is dementia?” This article clearly defines the term, and discusses some of the symptoms of dementia that can be caused by a wide variety of conditions.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Expert

Promising Treatment for Advanced Dry Macular Degeneration

Learn about a potential new treatment for geographic atrophy, the advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Expert

Staying Active with Alzheimer’s

“What is good for the heart is good for the brain.” This is frequently stated as common guidance for people wondering how to either slow the onset or progression of dementia or Alzheimer’s. This article provides a few helpful tips for staying physically active along the path of Alzheimer’s disease.

Monday, August 21, 2017

Expert

Caregiver Training: What You Need to Know

Family caregivers often ask how to find training to properly care for someone with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. This article summarizes what you need to know and where to obtain this information.

Monday, September 25, 2017
Expert

What Causes Dementia?

Many people ask, “What is dementia?” This article clearly defines the term, and discusses some of the symptoms of dementia that can be caused by a wide variety of conditions.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017
New Diagnosis?

Managing a mind and sight disease is a journey. And you’re not alone. We can help.

Take the first step
Expert

Staying Active with Alzheimer’s

“What is good for the heart is good for the brain.” This is frequently stated as common guidance for people wondering how to either slow the onset or progression of dementia or Alzheimer’s. This article provides a few helpful tips for staying physically active along the path of Alzheimer’s disease.

Monday, August 21, 2017
Expert

Signs and Symptoms of Dementia

Learn how healthcare providers rely upon signs and symptoms to detect and assess dementia.

Friday, August 4, 2017
What happens to your brain duringAlzheimer's Disease?
Track how nerve cells and the brain change from healthy to affected by mild and then severe Alzheimer's disease.
View Infographic

Expert

Promising Treatment for Advanced Dry Macular Degeneration

Learn about a potential new treatment for geographic atrophy, the advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Expert

Glasses and Macular Degeneration

People with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can have a wide range of visual impairment: some with early AMD have almost normal vision, while others with advanced AMD have lost most of their central vision. For many, the right glasses can be helpful.

Monday, July 31, 2017
New Diagnosis?

Managing a mind and sight disease is a journey. And you’re not alone. We can help.

Take the first step
Expert

Wet AMD Treatment: What’s on the Horizon?

New long-lasting medications are now in clinical trials for wet age-related macular degeneration. Learn more about these new options that may decrease the frequency of eye injections.

Thursday, June 29, 2017
Expert

Myopic Macular Degeneration

Learn about an eye disorder that occurs more frequently in people who are very nearsighted.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017
By 202040 million
People will have visual impairments from advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
View Infographic

Expert

Glaucoma and Diabetes

People with diabetes are at risk for several types of glaucoma. In honor of Healthy Aging Month, this article provides helpful information on prevention strategies and treatment options.

Monday, September 18, 2017
Expert

Glaucoma Eye Drops: Ten Tips for Common Challenges

Learn some helpful tips to overcome some common challenges when taking glaucoma eye drops.

Monday, August 14, 2017
New Diagnosis?

Managing a mind and sight disease is a journey. And you’re not alone. We can help.

Take the first step
Expert

Adult Stem Cells and Glaucoma

This article will focus on several areas of investigation in the use of adult stem cells to treat glaucoma, as well as some important points to consider if you are interested in an adult stem cell treatment for glaucoma.

Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Expert

Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Learn about the most common type of glaucoma that accounts for 70 - 90 percent of all cases.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017
More than3 million
Americans aged 40 and older have glaucoma. It is estimated that the number will double to 6 million people by 2050.
View Infographic

Stories & Thanks

World War II veteran Gonzalo wrote a book about caring for his wife, Dolores.
Add Your Story
I thank you for the information regarding Alzheimer's disease. I have been diagnosed with it and have noticed during the past week that I have become more confused and forgetful. I have to admit that I am a 74-year-old woman and would appreciate your prayers. God Bless.
Aggie in Missouri
Thank a Researcher

Our Impact

We have one, important goal: to end brain and eye diseases in our lifetime.

Learn more

We support innovative science through our three programs:

Alzheimer’s Disease Research
Macular Degeneration Research
National Glaucoma Research

Learn more about our grants

Promising Science

Can We Clear Toxic Proteins from the Brain? An Encouraging Breakthrough
Research by BrightFocus grantee Matthew Campbell, PhD, of Trinity College Dublin, suggests a unique way to help clear the brain of toxic amyloid beta protein, which contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s.
Scientists Uncover New Clues About How Macular Degeneration Forms
An international research team has uncovered some clues to how age-related macular degeneration (AMD) begins, and their findings could lead to new avenues of research and early diagnosis.
Treating Alzheimer’s Before It Becomes Alzheimer’s
Up until now, the best method scientists have had to fight Alzheimer’s has been using drugs to treat the symptoms of the disease after they start to show. But new research offers them new hopes for treatments to attack the disease sooner.

BrightFocus Updates

New Discovery May Aid Treatment of Late-Stage AMD

Kip Connor, PhD, with funding from Macular Degeneration Research (MDR), has lead a team of experts to discover an important role of immune cells that regulate, and could potentially stop, abnormal blood vessel growth in advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Tuesday, September 5, 2017
MDR Grantees Investigate Vitamins and Diet for AMD Prevention

Macular Degeneration Research grantees are looking at new ways to stop age-related macular degeneration. Two, in particular, are hoping that vitamins and diet will provide solutions.

Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Why We Must Attack Alzheimer's Disease on a Range of Research Fronts

Diane Bovenkamp, PhD, Vice President, Scientific Affairs at BrightFocus Foundation summarizes some of the promising research underway across a wide range of scientific approaches, which may slow, treat, and eventually cure Alzheimer's disease.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017