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Last Word

Vote for Vision

By: Joanne Schell
Eyecare Business October 1, 2004

Last Word
Vote for Vision
by Joanne Schell

This election season, it's time to check your representative's support for vision issues. Currently on the table is H.R. 2173, which would provide funds to states to address many of the current problems associated with vision screening for children. For example, state money could be used to educate parents of preschoolers, improve compliance with follow-up recommendations after a failed exam, or help families better afford eyecare for their children. A similar bill, H.R. 3602, also aims to accomplish a similar task.

The Vision Council of America (VCA) has mailed a survey on eye exams for children to the 900-plus congressional candidates
for 2004 in order to gauge the amount of support in Congress for vision issues such as these.

At press time, over 200 surveys had been returned. Thus far, all of the respondents expressed support for the bill. Among those who responded, 60 percent are Democrats and 40 percent are Republicans, demonstrating that improving the vision health of children is not a partisan issue.

VCA is urging ECPs to contact their representatives and congressional candidates and ask them to fill out this survey. The group's hope is that after the new term begins, members of Congress will be asked to act on promises that were made before the election.

For more information on the bill, visit www.HR2173.com.

 

Fast Facts

What's the state of children's eyecare today? Maybe not what you would hope. Here are a few disturbing numbers.

  • Sixty-two percent of children who failed vision screenings were not recommended for appropriate follow-up care.
  • Fifty percent of parents were unaware two months later that their child had failed a vision screening.
  • Nearly two-thirds of the children who failed a vision screening did not comply with the recommended treatment, despite immediate access to this care.
  • When a five- to six-year-old child failed an initial screening, the average delay of treatment was 4.1 years.

Sources: Clinical Pediatrics, Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Journal of School Health

 

Thunder on! Stride on! Democracy. Strike with vengeful stroke! -- Walt Whitman

 

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