November 14 is World Diabetes Day

November 14 is World Diabetes Day. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 180 million people worldwide have diabetes, according to 2005 figures. This number is likely to more than double by 2030 without intervention.

Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes. It affects the tiny blood vessels of the retina. Diabetic retinopathy affects over 4.4 million Americans age 40 and older. Diabetes also increases the risk of other eye diseases such as cataract and glaucoma. Along with age-related macular degeneration, cataract and glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy contributes to an approximate annual cost to the U.S. of $35.4 billion. Persons diagnosed with diabetes should get a dilated eye exam annually.

For more information on diabetes and your eyes, go to:
http://www.preventblindness.org/diabetes/patcommunity/pat_community.htm

Prevent Blindness America Advocates for Eye and Vision Health

Prevent Blindness America is currently conducting key fall district visits to House and Senate Members who are crucial decision-makers about funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Vision Health Initiative.

Since 2003, Prevent Blindness America and the CDC have been partners on a national vision health collaboration, aimed at strengthening and stimulating a public health effort to reduce and control vision problems in the United States. With funding from the CDC and assistance from other national vision partners, Prevent Blindness America is currently engaged in a multi-faceted national vision initiative, which will examine intervention models for identifying and treating individuals with potential vision disorders in both pediatric and adult populations.

At this time in our nation, when we are discussing health care reform, the Vision Health Initiative is a prime example of a successful public-private partnership serving Americans' health care needs through their eye and vision health. Half of all blindness can be prevented through education, early detection and treatment.

For more information about the CDC's Vision Health Initiative, go to http://www.cdc.gov./visionhealth/

For more information about Prevent Blindness America and your eye health, go to: http://www.preventblindness.org/.

House Releases New Health Reform Bill

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced today a new health care reform bill today that includes a moderate version of the government-run public insurance plan option. The bill is a combined version of health reform legislation passed by the House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Labor committees earlier this summer.

The bill could come to the House floor next week, after the special election on Tuesday, November 3. The full text of the legislation can be found at:
http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf

The Senate continues to work on merging the bills from the Finance Committee and the Health, Education, Pensions and Labor (HELP) Committee.

Prevent Blindness America continues to monitor health care reform legislation in both the House and the Senate to ensure that vision and eye health remain components of any legislation moving forward. Tell your Member of Congress about the importance of vision and eye health! Got to: https://secure2.convio.net/pba/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=170

Health Care Reform: Next Step Merging House and Senate Bills

This week the Senate Finance Committee passed the America’s Healthy Future Act, a bill to reform the nation’s health system. The bill passed by a vote of 14-9. The bill must now be combined with the proposal passed earlier this summer by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

Prevent Blindness America sent letters to House and Senate leadership and key stakeholders in the legislative process requesting that vision and eye health remain components of any health care reform bill. We ask our advocates to do the same: https://secure2.convio.net/pba/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=170

All Americans deserve access to and coverage for comprehensive eye care. Good vision is an integral component to health and well-being, affects virtually all activities of daily living, and impacts individuals physically, emotionally, socially and financially. Loss of vision can have a devastating impact on individuals and their families. The inclusion of vision and eye health in any health care reform legislation is critically important. Half of all blindness can be prevented through education, early detection and treatment. Vision and eye health services, programs and research are critical to public health. We know that the annual cost of adult vision problems in the U.S. is approximately $51.4 billion and that we can save our public health care system billions of dollars if we identify vision and eye problems early and link our patients to the care they need.

Prevent Blindness America sought changes to the Senate HELP and House Tri-Committee bills to ensure that eye and vision health were covered under wellness and prevention programs. Specifically, Prevent Blindness America requested that the HELP bill include vision and eye health in school-based health clinics and under the Healthy Aging, Living Well section regarding types of screening activities.

Additionally, Prevent Blindness America is seeking a new section to the HELP bill authorizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vision Health Initiative, a critical eye and vision health program funded since FY 2003, which is similar to the oral health program authorized under the bill. The Vision Health Initiative’s goal is to identify preventable disease early saving sight and our nation’s health care system billions of dollars. The Vision Health Initiative includes projects to ensure appropriate follow-up care, a national data collection system, public education, strategies to integrate vision and eye health into all of our nation’s public health systems, and engagement of primary healthcare systems in addressing vision and eye health.

Under the Vision Health Initiative, Prevent Blindness America and its affiliates, regional offices, and expert partners across the country have established new programs in vision preservation and prevention aimed to improve the vision and eye health of all Americans. This successful program is identifying scientifically sound screenings for children and adults and ensuring that those who need care are linked directly to appropriate care. As the country moves forward toward health reform, public-private partnerships such as the CDC’s Vision Health Initiative are a model for effective, cost-efficient prevention and wellness programs.

Download a copy of the August 2009 Prevent Blindness America CDC report here: http://www.preventblindness.net/site/DocServer/CDC_Summary_Document.pdf?docID=1941