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Scroll down to read all the pop culture events, industry meetings and special observances in 2024.



JANUARY

National Glaucoma Awareness Month
More than 2.8 million Americans age 40 and older have glaucoma.

Dry January
Begins New Year’s Day

Golden Globes Awards
Jan. 7, Los Angeles

Consumer Electronics Show
Jan. 9-12, Las Vegas

opti 2024
Jan. 12–14, Munich, Germany

Martin Luther King Day
Jan. 15

Primetime Emmy Awards
Jan. 15, Los Angeles

National Cheese Lovers Day
Jan. 20

International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Victims of the Holocaust
Jan. 27


FEBRUARY

AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
Age-related macular degeneration
is a leading cause of vision loss.

Black History Month

National Women Physicians Day
Feb. 3

Mido International Eyewear Exhibition
Feb. 3–5, Milan, Italy

Thank Your Mailman Day
Feb. 4

Grammy Awards
Feb. 4, Los Angeles

Lunar New Year
Feb. 10

Super Bowl Sunday
Feb. 11

Mardi Gras
Feb. 13

Valentine’s Day
Feb. 14

President’s Day
Feb. 19

100% Optical
Feb. 24–26, London

SECO
Feb. 28 – March 3, Atlanta Ga.
 
Leap Day
Feb. 29


MARCH

Workplace Eye Wellness Month
Prevent Blindness provides employers and employees with free information on topics ranging from eye strain to eye safety at work.

Employee Appreciation Day
March 1

National Grammar Day
March 4

National Day of Unplugging
March 6

International Women’s Day
March 8

Daylight Savings Time Begins
March 10

96th Academy Awards
March 10, Hollywood, Calif.
 
2024 Vision Monday Leadership Summit
March 13

PI Day
March 14

Vision Expo East
March 14–17, New York City

NAACP Image Awards
March 16, Los Angeles, Calif.
 
National Goof Off Day
March 22

National Mom & Pop Business Owners Day
March 29


APRIL

Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Hormonal changes, age and smoking can endanger sight.

Celebrate Diversity Month

World Autism Awareness Day
April 2

National Burrito Day
April 4

ASCRS (American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery) Annual Meeting
April 5–8, Boston, Mass.

College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) Annual Meeting
April 9–13, San Francisco, Calif.

National Scrabble Day
April 13

Earth Day
April 22

International Guide Dog Day
April 24

Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day
April 25

Arbor Day
April 26

International Jazz Day
April 30


MAY

Inherited Retinal Disease Genetic Testing Month
Inherited Retinal Diseases (IRD) are a group of diseases that can cause severe vision loss or even blindness.

Kentucky Derby
May 2

Star Wars Day
May 4

ARVO (The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) Annual Meeting 2024
May 5–9

National Nurses Day
May 6

Retina World Congress
May 9–12, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

China Wenzhou Int’l Optics Fair
May 10, 11, 12, Wenzhou, China

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
May 17

Preakness Stakes
May 18

National Rescue Dog Day
May 20

National Wait Staff Day
May 21

National Missing Children’s Day
May 25


JUNE

Cataract Awareness Month
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world.

Belmont Stakes
June 1

National Cancer Survivor’s Day
June 2

Global Running Day
June 5

National Eyewear Day
June 6

Best Friends Day
June 8

National Call Your Doctor Day
June 11

Tony Awards
June 16

Juneteenth
June 19

Optometry’s Meeting
June 19–23, Nashville, Tenn.

International Surfing Day
June 20

Goat Cheese Day
June 25

Helen Keller Day
June 27

National Sunglasses Day
June 27

World Social Media Day
June 30


JULY

Dry Eye Awareness Month
Nearly 16 million Americans have dry eye, which in severe cases, may cause serious vision problems.

I Forgot Day
July 2

National Stay Out of the Sun Day
July 3

National Workaholics Day
July 5

National French Fry Day
July 13

International Non-Binary Peoples Day
July 14

American Society of Retina Specialists
July 17, Stockholm, Sweden

World Listening Day
July 18

Summer Olympics
July 26–Aug. 2, Paris, France

National Disability Independence Day
July 27

National Milk Chocolate Day
July 28

International Friendship Day
July 30


AUGUST

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Included in this month will be information about eye conditions such as amblyopia and strabismus.

National Girlfriend Day
Aug. 1

National Lighthouse Day
Aug. 7

International Cat Day
Aug. 8

International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
Aug. 9

Left Handers Day
Aug. 13

National Nonprofit Day
Aug. 17

World Humanitarian Day
Aug. 19

Senior Citizens Day
Aug. 21

Women’s Equality Day
Aug. 26

National Beach Day
Aug. 30

International Day of People of African Descent
Aug. 31


SEPTEMBER

Sports Eye Safety Month
Tips on how to protect children from sports eye injuries.

World Letter Writing Day
Sept. 1

42nd Congress of the ESCRS
Sept. 6–10, Barcelona, Spain

Grandparents Day
Sept. 8

DaTe Eyewear Exhibition
Sept. 9–10, Florence, Italy

35th China International Optics Fair
Sept. 10–12, Beijing, China

Patriot Day
Sept. 11

The Retina Society 56th Annual Scientific Meeting
Sept. 11–15, Lisbon, Portugal

Vision Expo West
Sept. 18–21, Las Vegas, Nevada

Talk Like a Pirate Day
Sept. 19

Silmo Paris
Sept. 20–23, Paris, France

International Day of Peace
Sept. 21


OCTOBER

Contact Lens Safety Month
Approximately 46 million U.S. residents wear contact lenses.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

National Vodka Day
Oct. 4

World Teachers’ Day
Oct. 5

National Depression Screening Day
Oct. 8

Indigenous People’s Day
Oct. 9

World Mental Health Day
Oct. 10

International Optical Fair Tokyo
Oct. 15–17, Tokyo, Japan

Great Western Council of Optometry Congress
Oct. 17–20, Portland, Ore.

American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting
Oct. 18–21, Chicago Illinois

International Pronouns Day
Oct. 19

World Stroke Day
Oct. 29


NOVEMBER

Diabetes-Related Eye Disease Month
Tips on preventing the onset of diabetic eye disease.

No Shave November

New York City Marathon
Nov. 3

World Tsunami Awareness Day
Nov. 5

National Stress Awareness Day
Nov. 6

American Academy of Optometry: Academy 2024 Indianapolis
Nov. 6–9, Indianapolis, Indiana

Go to an Art Museum Day
Nov. 9

National Play Monopoly Day
Nov. 19

Universal Children’s Day
Nov. 20

National Surfing Day
Nov. 21

Silmo Istanbul
Nov. 20–23, Istanbul, Turkey

Native American Heritage Day
Nov. 24


DECEMBER

Give the Gift of Sight Month
Taking time out to reflect on the joys of healthy vision and support sight-saving services.

World AIDS Day
Dec. 1

Cyber Monday
Dec. 2

Giving Tuesday
Dec. 3

Wildlife Conservation Day
Dec. 4

National Bartender Day
Dec. 6

International Human Rights Day
Dec. 10

National Wear Your Pearls Day
Dec. 15

International Migrants Day
Dec. 18

National Ugly Sweater Day
Dec. 20

Winter Solstice/Yule
Dec. 22

National Call a Friend Day
Dec. 28