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Veasey and Bilirakis Introduce Bill to Address Children’s Vision and Eye Health

May 14, 2024

Washington, DC - Earlier today, U.S. Representatives Marc Veasey (TX-33-D) and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12-R) introduced the Early Detection of Vision Impairments in 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.

Children’s vision and eye health is a critical aspect of a child’s healthy development that has been overlooked for far too long,” said Rep. Veasey, the newly appointed Democratic co-chair of the Vision Caucus.Healthy vision plays a key role in each child’s performance in school - when a child cannot see, their education suffers. Texas families and children across the country deserve equitable access to early detection and care for vision issues,  whether at school, in the community, or across the healthcare spectrum. The Early Detection of Vision Impairments for Children Act will ensure children, their parents, and their caregivers can access the eye care they need to thrive and succeed.”

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.”

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.”

Children’s vision and eye health is an important part of a child’s physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. 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. Stacy Ayn Lyons, OD, FAAO, 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. This legislation will improve children's vision and their lives," said Michael Repka, MD, pediatric ophthalmologist, and Medical Director for Governmental Affairs for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

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 protocols for referrals to eye care providers and documentation to ensure vision care was received. States may also 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 later on.

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 local communities to:

  1. Implement approaches (such as vision screenings) for the early detection of vision concerns in children, referrals for eye exams, and follow-up mechanisms;
  2. Identify barriers in access to eye care and strategies to improve eye health outcomes;
  3. Raise awareness about the importance of early interventions and screenings;
  4. Establish a coordinated public health system for vision health and eye care diagnosis and treatment; and
  5. Develop state-based data collection, quality monitoring, and performance improvement systems.
  6. 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.

A broad spectrum of public health organizations support the legislation, including: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Optometry, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses, Association of Clinicians for the Underserved, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, American Optometric AssociationFamily Voices, Healthy Schools Campaign, National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research, National Association of School Nurses, and School-Based Health Alliance.