Bilirakis and Veasey Introduce Legislation to Identify and Address Kids’ Vision Impairments
Washington, DC: Earlier today, Congressional Vision Caucus Co-Chairs, U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) and Marc Veasey (TX-33), reintroduced the Bipartisan Early Detection of Vision Impairments for Children (EDVI) Act. The EDVI Act will establish grants for states and communities to improve children’s vision and eye health through screenings, early interventions, and coordinated systems of care. Despite the presence of numerous public health programs that support early childhood development, including children’s hearing and oral health, there is currently no federally funded program in the United States that specifically addresses children’s vision or that fosters a cohesive and integrated system of eye health for children.
“As an American who has suffered from poor vision since childhood, I have a first-hand understanding of how critical early detection and treatment is when it comes to ensuring that all children have the best possible start in life,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “Our landmark bill will ensure all children get the screening and care they need at the right age by creating the first-ever federally funded program to address children’s vision and eye health. This legislation will empower states and communities, like mine, to improve systems of care for our youngest citizens and their families.”
“When I was in elementary school, I struggled to see the board, and it made learning incredibly difficult. It wasn’t until I had a vision screening and got the right pair of glasses that everything changed for me,” said Rep. Veasey. “I know from personal experience that vision issues can hold a child back, and how something as simple as a pair of glasses can unlock their potential. No child should fall behind simply because they can’t see. The Early Detection of Vision Impairments for Children Act will ensure all children, in Texas and across the country, have access to the screenings they need to see clearly and reach their full potential.”
“More than one in every four children in America, or roughly 19.6 million, have a vision problem requiring treatment,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We know access to education, screenings, examinations, diagnosis, and treatment are critical to preventing vision loss, and this legislation is an important step in providing children and their families with those services and the healthcare they need and deserve.”
“The EDVI Act promotes a strong system of care for children’s vision and eye health that fosters early detection and treatment, thus ensuring that children can access vision and eye care services that can set the foundation for a lifetime of good vision,” Dr. Stacey Coulter, OD Vice Chair, National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health.
“Early detection of eye problems in children can improve treatment effectiveness, enable better outcomes and ensure children have their best chance of academic success and lifelong good vision. We applaud Rep. Bilirakis and Rep. Veasey for working to provide states and communities with resources to expand and improve vision screening programs," said Michael Repka, MD, pediatric ophthalmologist, and President, American Academy of Ophthalmology.
“Pediatricians recognize the vital importance of early detection and treatment when it comes to supporting children’s overall health and development. The EDVI Act will help promote positive eye health in young people by catching vision concerns early so they can get the care they need to succeed, while supporting their lifelong vision health. We applaud Representatives Bilirakis and Veasey for introducing this important bipartisan legislation and urge Congress to pass it into law,”said Susan Kressly, MD, FAAP, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Increasing awareness and identifying vision concerns early will save money in the long run and improve outcomes for patients throughout their lives. If left untreated, common vision disorders in childhood, such as amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), myopia (nearsightedness), or hyperopia (farsightedness), may continue to affect health and well-being throughout the child’s life. State laws to address children’s vision vary widely in approaches and often lack the necessary resources to adequately capture data on rates of received eye care, leading to challenges in addressing and treating ocular disease and eye conditions in children.
Under the EDVI Act, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will award grants and cooperative agreements for states and communities to implement approaches (such as vision screenings) for the early detection of vision concerns in children, referrals for eye exams, and follow-up mechanisms, establish a coordinated public health system for vision health and eye care diagnosis and treatment, and develop state-based data collection and performance improvement systems. Resources will also be made available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide technical assistance and guidance to states and communities to implement children’s vision screening and early intervention programs. Over 100 organizations nationally have endorsed the EDVI Act.