Sens. Bond and Dodd lead bill to improve children’s vision care

With bipartisan support, the S. 1175, the “Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007” was introduced today in the U.S. Senate. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO) – who was diagnosed with amblyopia as a child – and Christopher Dodd (D-CT), aims to provide children with follow-up care needed after being identified with a potential vision problem by a comprehensive eye exam or vision screening.

“The Vision Council of America applauds Senator Bond and Senator Dodd for their leadership and ongoing commitment to strengthening the vision health of the nation's children,” said Ed Greene, chief executive officer of the Vision Council of America. “We strongly support and commend the Senators for crafting a very thoughtful and achievable piece of legislation that will have a great impact for generations to come.”
 
S. 1175 is supported by the alliance of the Vision Council of America, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, the American Optometric Association, Better Vision Institute and Prevent Blindness America. This legislation serves as a complement to H.R. 507, identical legislation introduced earlier this year in the House of Representatives and is advantageous, as it will expedite the legislative process.

“With the overwhelming support from the vision community, the Senate legislation has many legs to stand on,” continued Greene. “Now that we have House and Senate bills, we look forward to working with our optical allies to help move this legislation forward.”

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Washington, D.C. (February 9, 2007) – A congressional briefing and press conference held last week on Capitol Hill brought vision advocates together in an effort to raise awareness for H.R. 507, the “Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007.” With more than 60 participants, the briefing and press conference educated attendees about the need to improve vision care for children and encouraged their support for the bill.

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Washington, D.C. (November 22, 2006) – States with lax vision screening requirements for drivers renewing their licenses may be endangering American roadways, according to a new state-by-state report released today by the Vision Council of America (VCA). The report, Keeping Our Eyes on the Road, finds that of the top 10 states with the highest rate of fatal crashes, four states require no vision screenings after the initial license application and four require screenings only at intervals of eight or more years.

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U.S. Senator Bond (R-MO) Introduces Legislation; Speaks on Personal Experience with Childhood Vision Loss

U.S. Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO), who suffers from permanent vision loss due to undiagnosed amblyopia as a child, today introduced the Vision Care for Kids Act to increase the number of children who receive vision care. If enacted, the bill would allocate funds for states to treat vision problems in children, as well as to educate residents about healthy vision.

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VCA and leading vision care organizations today praised policymakers and children’s vision care advocates in Rhode Island for enacting one of the nation’s most progressive laws to protect children’s vision.

The law (Act 5182), which goes into effect on January 1, 2006, requires all children in the state receive a vision screening or comprehensive eye exam before starting elementary school. But what makes the law among the best is a provision that requires all children who fail the screening to receive a follow-up exam from an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Further strengthening the law is a provision that requires exams for all children with neurodevelopmental delays.
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H.R. 2238, the Children’s Vision Improvement and Learning Readiness Act, hit a major milestone last month, garnering the backing of over 200 members of Congress. This legislation is nearing the 220 cosponsor mark, a critical point for moving forward in the legislative process.

If enacted, H.R. 2238, introduced by Representatives Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), would establish a grant program, available to all states, to provide vision assessment and necessary follow-up care for children. It also encourages states to educate parents about the importance of vision health.
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Last week, Governor Brad Henry greatly advanced children’s vision care in Oklahoma as he signed into law the Children’s Vision for Excellence Act which requires vision screenings and mandatory follow-up eye exams for students who fail the initial screening. The law, which received widespread support from legislators and the vision community, will result in vision screenings for 140,000 students and an estimated 10,000 follow-up eye exams each year.
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New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has proclaimed March 26-April 1, 2006, as “Vision Awareness Week” for the city and has encouraged New Yorkers to think about their eye health. In total, vision problems affect over two million citizens of New York, making it a common health concern among city residents.

According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), one in four city children has a vision problem that can interfere with learning. And one in three New Yorkers over the age of 40 have a sight-threatening eye disease. Many vision impairments can be corrected and diseases can be delayed, but only with proper and timely care.
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In an effort to halt the spread of counterfeiting worldwide, President George W. Bush signed into law last week the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act. This law will strengthen anti-counterfeiting laws by prohibiting the possession of labeling devices that mark or place licensed brands on counterfeited goods, by imposing mandatory penalties on violators and, by destroying the counterfeit goods.
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Prevent Blindness America (PBA) last week became the latest in a growing number of groups seeking to improve the way children receive vision care in America. By endorsing H.R. 2238 and H.R. 2328, legislation in Congress that aims to improve vision care for children, PBA acknowledges that action is now needed.
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A large array of groups from across the country have joined together to support H.R. 2238, the Children's Vision Improvement and Learning Readiness Act. Key national and state organizations in the health care and education community such as the American Optometric Association, Vision Service Plan, Optical Women’s Association, Prevent Blindness America, Lighthouse International, National Association of Vision Care Plans and the National Head Start Association have endorsed this legislation.
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A new analysis by the Vision Council of America reveals a record number of legislative proposals have been introduced in Congress to address vision health issues. No fewer than five vision health bills have been introduced in the two-year session of Congress that began in January, 2005.

While the five bills vary in their intent and the support they have generated on Capitol Hill, each generally attempts to improve America’s vision care and prevent unnecessary vision loss.

While the five bills vary in their intent and the support they have generated on Capitol Hill, each generally attempts to improve America's vision care and prevent unnecessary vision loss.
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H.R. 2238 increased its leverage this week as several more members of Congress endorsed the bill, bringing the total number of cosponsors to 165. If enacted, H.R. 2238, The Children’s Vision Improvement and Learning Readiness Act of 2005, would set up a competitive grant process and provide states with the resources needed to increase the number of children that get the vision assessment and care they need. More...

In an effort to close loopholes allowing counterfeiters to avoid prosecution and profit from illegal activities domestically and internationally, VCA, the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (CACP) praised Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) for last week’s introduction of S. 1699, The Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act of 2005. More...

United States Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO) today revealed that he suffers from permanent vision loss in one eye as a result of undiagnosed amblyopia in childhood. Bond also pledged his support for efforts that educate parents about the important role of preventive vision care for children.

Amblyopia is the leading cause of vision loss in young Americans and affects approximately 500,000 preschoolers. If detected and treated early, vision loss from amblyopia can be largely prevented. However, a recent study issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that just one in three children receive any form of preventive vision care before entering school.

“It is absolutely vital that parents take their children to an eye doctor before starting school,” Senator Bond said. “Had I done so, I could have avoided a lifetime of vision loss.

Senator Bond has teamed up with the “Check Yearly” campaign to educate parents about the importance of eye exams for children. He will appear in a public service announcement (PSA) with Kennedy Biederman, the National Amblyopia Youth Spokesperson. The PSA will be distributed to more than 7,000 media outlets and will be converted into a poster that will be distributed nationwide. More...