ALEXANDRIA, Va.— Long-standing efforts paid off this week as the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Vision Care for Kids Act of 2009.” The bill received overwhelming support from the House and passed with a vote of 404-17 as part of a larger Public Health Week initiative of Congress.

The “Vision Care for Kids Act,” H.R. 577, provides children with the follow-up care needed after being identified with a potential vision problem by a comprehensive eye exam or vision screening. Bill sponsors include Gene Green (D-TX), John Sullivan (R-OK), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Elliot Engel (D-NY) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL).

“Unless caught early and appropriately treated, vision disorders can lead to irreversible damage that can hinder a child’s normal growth, development, and opportunity to succeed,” according to lead majority sponsor Green. “These children deserve a healthy start to their educational and social development.”

“Millions of children in the U.S. suffer from vision problems, many of which go undetected because of the lack of access to and the affordability of proper eyecare,” said Sullivan, lead minority sponsor of the bill. “This legislation will bridge a chief gap in vision care—and allow children to receive treatment for their vision problems before it is too late.”

The “Vision Care for Kids Act” is supported by the alliance of The Vision Council, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, the American Optometric Association and Prevent Blindness America. Also supporting the bill are the National Association of School Nurses, National Association of Vision Care Plans, National Head Start Association, Opticians Association of America, Reading Is Fundamental and Vision Service Plan.

“The Vision Care for Kids Act is an important assignment for Congress and a timely reminder for America of what needs to be done to help concerned parents and teachers ensure that no child is left behind in the classroom due to an undiagnosed or untreated vision problem,” said Peter H. Kehoe, president of the AOA. “With nearly 25 percent of school-aged children suffering from vision problems, the AOA is proud to support visionary leaders in Congress in the effort to provide states with the resources—the federal dollars—they need to make children’s vision and classroom learning a top priority.”

“Our hard work over the years has led to a quick passage in the House of Representatives and we hope for the same in the Senate,” said Ed Greene, chief executive officer of The Vision Council. “Working together as an industry has helped to really move the bill through the process.”