A new bill that would provide children with necessary follow-up care after being diagnosed with a potential vision problem was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last month.
H.R. 507, known as the Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007, has received bipartisan support on Capitol Hill and support from numerous groups, including the American Optometric Association, Prevent Blindness America, Vision Council of America,
The bill was introduced in the House of Representative by sponsors Eliot Engel (D-NY), Vito Fossella (R-NY), Gene Green (D-TX), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), and others. It is a companion to 2006 legislation.
H.R. 507 would create a federal grant program that would focus on treatment to enhance state childrens vision initiatives and encourage childrens vision partnerships with non-profit entities.
According to the AOA, 32 states require vision screenings for students, but 29 of them dont require children who fail the screening to have a comprehensive eye exam. Since up to two-thirds of children who fail vision screenings do not comply with recommended eye exams, many children enter school with uncorrected vision problems.
Last year, Prevent Blindness America provided more than 2 million vision screenings to children. Unfortunately, close to 10% of those kids failed their screenings, says Daniel D. Garrett, senior vice president of Prevent Blindness America. We are thrilled that the Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007 will close that gap for children who desperately need appropriate follow-up care to save their sight.
As of press time, Christopher Kit Bond (R-MO) is expected to introduce a similar bill in the Senate. He had introduced the Vision Care for Kids Act of 2006 last July, which didnt make it out of committee during last years legislative session.
