Vision Loss Takes an Emotional Toll. Hadley Is Addressing It.

Strong early viewership of “Adjusting & Coping Together” points to a gap in vision care

WINNETKA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the more than 30 million Americans living with vision loss, a diagnosis typically comes with a treatment plan. What it often does not come with is support for the grief, isolation, and loss of independence that can follow. Hadley, a nonprofit that has provided free support to older adults adjusting to vision loss for more than a century, created Adjusting & Coping Together to fill that gap—and early response to the video series suggests the need runs deep.

In its first six weeks, Adjusting & Coping Together generated the strongest early viewership of any recent Hadley series launch, a result the organization says reflects how underserved this dimension of vision care has been.

“When someone is diagnosed with a serious eye condition, the conversation usually focuses on treatment,” said Johnjoe Farragher, President and CEO of Hadley. “What’s often left out are the grief, isolation, and loss of independence many experience. We created Adjusting & Coping Together to address those emotional challenges. The response in the first six weeks confirms that the need is real and widespread.”

The series features real people with vision loss speaking candidly about difficulties they have faced, from cycles of grief to sudden emotional triggers, providing insights into how they worked through these challenges. Each episode provides guidance drawn from proven coping techniques and Hadley’s clinical expertise supporting adults adjusting to vision impairment. The series is available free of charge at hadleyhelps.org/adjusting-coping-together.

The launch of Adjusting & Coping Together reflects a growing recognition across healthcare that vision loss requires more than clinical care—it also requires support for the emotional and day-to-day realities people live with.

“We’re proud to support this series, which brings needed attention to the emotional side of vision loss — and the strategies and encouragement that can help people keep moving forward,” said Max Mulcahy, Senior Director, Patient Advocacy, at Apellis Pharmaceuticals. Apellis provided funding through an educational grant.

About Hadley

Hadley provides free practical and emotional support to older adults adjusting to vision loss, empowering them to adapt and thrive. Founded in 1920, Hadley serves more than 190,000 individuals across the country and around the world. Learn more at hadleyhelps.org.