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Glaucoma Foundation Inc

EIN 13-3174839 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE GLAUCOMA FOUNDATION, INC. IS AN INTERNATIONAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ERADICATING GLAUCOMA, THE LEADING CAUSE OF PREVENTABLE BLINDNESS. THE STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL IS TWO-FOLD: RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS CONCERNING THE NECESSITY OF ROUTINE EYE EXAMS, AND FUND CRITICAL RESEARCH TO FIND CURES FOR GLAUCOMA.

Income
$6.0 million
Spending
$3.1 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
42.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 85%
Employees
5
Volunteers
60
Highest pay
$444,333, president &

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 42.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 49% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 32% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    22 of 22 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)
  1. $865,695 spent. 1) MULTIPLE WEBINARS: WHAT DO COLD HANDS HAVE TO DO WITH GLAUCOMA? THE PROMISE OF OPTIC NERVE REGENERATION; THE BODY-EYE RELATIONSHIP HOW TO SAVE THE SIGHT OF PATIENTS WITH GLAUCOMA WHILE MINIMIZING ADVERSE REACTION FROM EYE DROPS; INSIGHTS INTO GLAUCOMA & WOMEN'S HEALTH: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF MENOPAUSE AND VISUAL FUNCTION; GLAUCOMA AND LIFESTYLE. 2) THE OPTIC NERVE RESCUE AND RESTORATION THINK TANK "A PATIENT-CENTRIC APPROACH WHILE INCORPORATING THE LATEST SCIENCE" GLAUCOMA DATA INTEGRATION: OVERVIEW OF DATABASES AVAILABLE TO ADVANCE GLAUCOMA KNOWLEDGE; LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT GLAUCOMA FROM THE UK BIOBANK; POAG GENOMIC ARCHITECTURE; A 360-DEGREE BIOMEDICAL PROFILE OF HEALTH: LESSONS FROM CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. 3) DRUG RE-PURPOSING IN GLAUCOMA: INSULIN SIGNALING AND; METFORMIN AND GLAUCOMA; GLP-1R AGONISTS AND GLAUCOMA. 4) OVERVIEW OF GLAUCOMA NEUROPROTECTION AGENTS: WHY DO WE NOT HAVE A NEUROPROTECTION AGENT FOR GLAUCOMA? HOW CAN AI HELP FACILITATE RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS IN NEUROPROTECTION? 5) SEX HORMONES AND GLAUCOMA: THE ROLE OF SEX HORMONES IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA: EVIDENCE FROM EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES; ESTROGEN SIGNALING PATHWAYS IN GLAUCOMA; THE BIOMECHANICAL ARGUMENT THAT ESTROGEN PLAYS A ROLE IN GLAUCOMA; 6) NON-IOP FACTORS OF IMPORTANCE IN GLAUCOMA: DIET AND GLAUCOMA; HYPERTENSION, ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS AND GLAUCOMA; THE IMPACT OF GLAUCOMA ON ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING. 7) WHAT CAN TGF DO TO HELP PATIENTS, RESEARCHERS, AND EYECARE PROVIDERS TACKLE GLAUCOMA?: WHAT IS THE GLAUCOMA FOUNDATION DOING NOW? WHAT DO PATIENTS WANT TO SEE IN GLAUCOMA RESEARCH? 8) START WITH THE YOUNG: INFO SESSION ON GLAUCOMA FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS; IN COORDINATION WITH THE STEM INSTITUTE AT THE CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK. 9) NEWSLETTERS: TGF PRODUCED SIX ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED TO MORE THAN 16,000 HOUSEHOLDS. TGF'S QUARTERLY PRINTED NEWSLETTERS WERE AVAILABLE FOR CONSTITUENTS WHO DO NOT USE COMPUTERS OR WHO PREFER TO READ PAPER DOCUMENTS. NEWSLETTERS INCLUDE INTERVIEWS WITH DOCTORS, RESEARCHERS, AND PATIENTS. THEY COVER TOPICS SUCH AS ADVANCEMENTS IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, PERSPECTIVES ON CARE, AND PERSONAL STORIES OF LIVING WITH THE DISEASE. 1) MULTIPLE WEBINARS: WHAT DO COLD HANDS HAVE TO DO WITH GLAUCOMA? THE PROMISE OF OPTIC NERVE REGENERATION; THE BODY-EYE RELATIONSHIP HOW TO SAVE THE SIGHT OF PATIENTS WITH GLAUCOMA WHILE MINIMIZING ADVERSE REACTION FROM EYE DROPS; INSIGHTS INTO GLAUCOMA & WOMEN'S HEALTH: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF MENOPAUSE AND VISUAL FUNCTION; GLAUCOMA AND LIFESTYLE. 2) THE OPTIC NERVE RESCUE AND RESTORATION THINK TANK "A PATIENT-CENTRIC APPROACH WHILE INCORPORATING THE LATEST SCIENCE" GLAUCOMA DATA INTEGRATION: OVERVIEW OF DATABASES AVAILABLE TO ADVANCE GLAUCOMA KNOWLEDGE; LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT GLAUCOMA FROM THE UK BIOBANK; POAG GENOMIC ARCHITECTURE; A 360-DEGREE BIOMEDICAL PROFILE OF HEALTH: LESSONS FROM CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. 3) DRUG RE-PURPOSING IN GLAUCOMA: INSULIN SIGNALING AND; METFORMIN AND GLAUCOMA; GLP-1R AGONISTS AND GLAUCOMA. 4) OVERVIEW OF GLAUCOMA NEUROPROTECTION AGENTS: WHY DO WE NOT HAVE A NEUROPROTECTION AGENT FOR GLAUCOMA? HOW CAN AI HELP FACILITATE RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS IN NEUROPROTECTION? 5) SEX HORMONES AND GLAUCOMA: THE ROLE OF SEX HORMONES IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA: EVIDENCE FROM EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES; ESTROGEN SIGNALING PATHWAYS IN GLAUCOMA; THE BIOMECHANICAL ARGUMENT THAT ESTROGEN PLAYS A ROLE IN GLAUCOMA; 6) NON-IOP FACTORS OF IMPORTANCE IN GLAUCOMA: DIET AND GLAUCOMA; HYPERTENSION, ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS AND GLAUCOMA; THE IMPACT OF GLAUCOMA ON ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING. 7) WHAT CAN TGF DO TO HELP PATIENTS, RESEARCHERS, AND EYECARE PROVIDERS TACKLE GLAUCOMA?: WHAT IS THE GLAUCOMA FOUNDATION DOING NOW? WHAT DO PATIENTS WANT TO SEE IN GLAUCOMA RESEARCH? 8) START WITH THE YOUNG: INFO SESSION ON GLAUCOMA FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS; IN COORDINATION WITH THE STEM INSTITUTE AT THE CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK. 9) NEWSLETTERS: TGF PRODUCED SIX ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED TO MORE THAN 16,000 HOUSEHOLDS. TGF'S QUARTERLY PRINTED NEWSLETTERS WERE AVAILABLE FOR CONSTITUENTS WHO DO NOT USE COMPUTERS OR WHO PREFER TO READ PAPER DOCUMENTS. NEWSLETTERS INCLUDE INTERVIEWS WITH DOCTORS, RESEARCHERS, AND PATIENTS. THEY COVER TOPICS SUCH AS ADVANCEMENTS IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, PERSPECTIVES ON CARE, AND PERSONAL STORIES OF LIVING WITH THE DISEASE.
  2. $1.5 million spent. 1) GENETIC PREDISPOSITION AND OPHTHALMIC OUTCOMES; 2) OPTIC NERVE REGENERATION; 3) USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO REVEAL BLOOD PRESSURE'S ROLE IN GLAUCOMA PROGRESSION; 4) EE-PURPOSING AN "OLD" DRUG FOR A NEW INDICATION: ELUCIDATING THE PERIPHERAL AND CENTRAL EFFECTS OF GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDE 1 RECEPTOR AGONISTS TO TREAT GLAUCOMA; 5) SEARCH FOR FUNCTIONAL LOXL1 RISK ALLELES WITH BIT-STARR; 6) VASCULAR GENOTYPE-PHENOTYPE ASSOCIATION IN PRIMARY OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA; 7) INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF IMPAIRED MITOCHONDRIAL DYNAMICS IN EXFOLIATION GLAUCOMA; 8) UNCOVERING THE POTENTIAL OF PERICYTES AS THERAPEUTIC TARGETS FOR GLAUCOMA; 9) NICOTINAMIDE AND PYRUVATE FOR NEUROENHANCEMENT IN OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA: A PHASE 2 RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL. 1) GENETIC PREDISPOSITION AND OPHTHALMIC OUTCOMES; 2) OPTIC NERVE REGENERATION; 3) USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO REVEAL BLOOD PRESSURE'S ROLE IN GLAUCOMA PROGRESSION; 4) EE-PURPOSING AN "OLD" DRUG FOR A NEW INDICATION: ELUCIDATING THE PERIPHERAL AND CENTRAL EFFECTS OF GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDE 1 RECEPTOR AGONISTS TO TREAT GLAUCOMA; 5) SEARCH FOR FUNCTIONAL LOXL1 RISK ALLELES WITH BIT-STARR; 6) VASCULAR GENOTYPE-PHENOTYPE ASSOCIATION IN PRIMARY OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA; 7) INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF IMPAIRED MITOCHONDRIAL DYNAMICS IN EXFOLIATION GLAUCOMA; 8) UNCOVERING THE POTENTIAL OF PERICYTES AS THERAPEUTIC TARGETS FOR GLAUCOMA; 9) NICOTINAMIDE AND PYRUVATE FOR NEUROENHANCEMENT IN OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA: A PHASE 2 RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1985.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.