Saturday, December 26, 2009

Heatlh Care Reform Update

Happy Holidays from the Prevent Blindness America Government Relations Team!

Health Care Reform Update

In the first time since 1895 the US Senate gathered for a vote on Christmas Eve. The Senate voted 60-39 at 7 am Christmas Eve morning to pass its version health care reform. Now that Senate has finished its work Congressional and White House leadership will be gathering to reconcile the two bills. Early next year we will have an analysis of both bills and all vision and eye health related items.

Healthy People 2020 Public Comment Period Coming to End

The deadline for public comments on Healthy People 2020 is fast approaching – December 31, 2009. We encourage you to communicate to your advocates via e-mail, Facebook or Twitter on the importance of providing comment on this important process. Attached is a draft communication for you to share.


In the coming weeks we will continue to update you on many events going on in Washington as well as provide many new opportunities for you to add your voice to many ensuring vision and eye health are a core part of our national health agenda.

Wishing all a very happy new year!
Andrea Densham




HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020

LANGUAGE TO SEND TO ADVOCATES REGARDING COMMENT PERIOD

SPEAK OUT: IT'S TIME TO INCLUDE Vision And Eye Health IN AMERICA'S HEALTH PRIORITIES!

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently asking for public comment on the development of Healthy People 2020 (HP 2020), which will serve as the federal government's blueprint for a healthier nation for the decade between 2010 and 2020. Healthy People is a crucial component of attracting attention, funding, and other resources for improving the nation’s vision and eye health.

Prevent Blindness America is asking advocates like you to step up and speak out about the importance of vision and eye health issues by participating in the public comment period, which closes on December 31, 2009. The Department is counting on our community to comment on the need for a focus on vision and eye health in 2010 and beyond, so make your voice heard!

To comment please go to http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/comments.

Prevent Blindness America suggests that comments include a short statement on the following:

  • Ensure the inclusion of vision objective 1 “Increase the proportion of preschool children aged 5 years and under who receive vision screening.”

  • Include questions regarding vision and eye health on all major federal health surveys.

If you wish to comment specifically on particular target areas or objectives, please see specific suggested comments below.

More information about each of these points is available from Prevent Blindness America. For assistance with any comment please contact Jennifer Pennock at Prevent Blindness America at Jpennock@preventblindness.org or 312-363-6037.

Prevent Blindness America supports the first three objectives, which have been retained “as is” from Healthy People 2010:

HP 2020-1
Increase the proportion of preschool children aged 5 years and under who receive vision screening.


Potential Comments

  • More than 12.1 million school-age children, or one in four, have some form of vision problem, yet only about 21 percent of preschool-age children have their vision screened, and only an estimated 14 percent of children receive eye examinations before entering kindergarten or first grade.

  • The Partnership for Prevention, in reviewing the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s listing of recommended clinical preventive services, has found that pediatric vision screening is inexpensive, treatment is effective and it improves the quality of life. The Task Force recommends screening to detect amblyopia, strabismus and defects in visual acuity in children younger than five years of age.

  • According to the CDC, impaired vision can affect a child’s cognitive, emotional, neurologic and physical development by potentially limiting the range of experiences and kinds of information to which the child is exposed.

  • Prevent Blindness America acknowledges that professional eye examinations are the “gold standard” of eye care and should always be encouraged, but also believes that vision screening is an appropriate and essential element of a strong bublic health approach to children’s vision care. The purpose of vision screening is to increase the number of children in need of care who ultimately receive eye exams.

HP 2020-2
Reduce blindness and visual impairment in children and adolescents aged 17 years and under.

Potential Comments

  • Myopia, or near-sightedness, occurs in one in four individuals in the United States. In children, myopia is found in 2 percent of those entering first grade and 15 percent of those entering high school.

  • Prevent Blindness America is pleased to note the reduction in the overall cases of blindness and visual impairment in children and adolescents aged 17 years and under during the Healthy People 2010 years, and supports this objective remaining to further reduce this number.

HP 2020-3
Reduce occupational eye injuries

Potential Comments

  • Eye injuries in the workplace are very common. More than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day.

  • About 1 in 10 injuries require one or more missed workdays to recover from.

  • Of the total amount of work-related injuries, 10-20 % will cause temporary or permanent vision loss.

  • Experts believe that the correct eye protection could have lessened the severity or even prevented 90% of eye injuries in accidents.

Prevent Blindness America supports the remaining vision objectives, which have been “retained but modified” from Healthy People 2010:

HP 2020-4
Increase the proportion of adults who have a comprehensive eye examination, including dilation, within the last 2 years and/or by age 45.

Potential Comments

  • Many eye diseases and disorders have no symptoms or early warning signs. A dilated eye exam can detect changes in the retina or optic nerve or both.

  • Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent vision loss in more than 90 percent of patients with diabetic retinopathy.

HP 2020-5
Reduce uncorrected visual impairment due to refractive errors.

Potential Comments

  • One in two Americans has a refractive error or defect that can be corrected to provide sharper vision.

  • 44 million Americans over the age of 40 have a refractive error (myopia or hyperopia).

  • Further data is needed to determine racial, gender and disability disparities in refractive errors.

HP 2020-6
Reduce Visual Impairment.

Potential Comments

  • 4.6 million Americans over the age of 40 are visually impaired or blind.

  • 44 million Americans over the age of 40 have a refractive error (myopia or hyperopia).

  • 2 million Americans over the age of 50 have age-related macular degeneration.

  • 22 million Americans over the age of 40 have cataract.

  • 4.5 million Americans over the age of 40 have diabetic retinopathy.

  • 2.3 million Americans over the age of 40 have glaucoma.

  • The annual cost of adult vision problems in the U.S. comes to approximately $51.4 billion.

  • As the 9 million baby boomers with vision loss continue to age, the number of seniors with vision loss will continue to grow substantially.

  • Of Americans who have vision loss and are 25 years of age and over, 4.5 million have less than a high school diploma, 6.0 million have a high school diploma or a GED, 5.4 million have some college education, and 3.6 million have a bachelor's degree or higher.

  • Approximately 5.7 million people with vision loss in the U.S. have a family income of less than $20,000.

HP 2020-7
Increase the use of personal protective eyewear in recreational activities and hazardous situations around the home.

Potential Comments

  • Each year in the United States, there are approximately 600,000 documented sports-related eye injuries, over 42,000 of which require emergency room attention and an estimated 13,500 of which result in a permanent loss of sight.

  • Approximately 72 percent of sports eye injuries occur in individuals younger than 25 years, and approximately 43 percent occur in individuals younger than 15 years.

  • More than 90% of all eye injuries can be prevented with the use of appropriate protective eyewear.

  • Accidents involving common household products cause 125,000 eye injuries each year.

  • Ninety percent of these home eye injures can be prevented through understanding, safety practices and the use of proper eye protection.

  • Children suffer a disproportionate number of eye injuries, sustaining 27 to 52 percent of all ocular traumas.

HP 2020-8

Increase vision rehabilitation.

Potential Comments

  • With the help of specially trained rehabilitation teachers, orientation and mobility specialists, low-vision specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists, individuals can learn the essential skills for living with vision loss.

  • Many low-vision optical and adaptive devices are available to help individuals make the best use of their remaining vision.

View the Healthy People 2020 vision objectives on-line at: http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/Objectives/TopicArea.aspx?id=48&TopicArea=Vision.


Monday, December 21, 2009

SPEAK OUT: IT'S TIME TO INCLUDE Vision And Eye Health IN AMERICA'S HEALTH PRIORITIES!

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently asking for public comment on the development of Healthy People 2020 (HP 2020), which will serve as the federal government's blueprint for a healthier nation for the decade between 2010 and 2020. Healthy People is a crucial component of attracting attention, funding, and other resources to improving the nation’s vision and eye health.

Prevent Blindness America is asking advocates like you to step up and speak out about the importance of vision and eye health issues by participating in the public comment period, which closes on December 31, 2009. The Department is counting on our community to comment on the need for a focus on vision and eye health in 2010 and beyond, so make your voice heard!

To comment please go http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/Objectives/AddGeneralComment.aspx


Prevent Blindness America suggests that comments include a short statement on the following:

- Ensure the inclusion of vision objective 1Increase the proportion of preschool children aged 5 years and under who receive vision screening.”

-Include questions regarding vision and eye health on all major federal health surveys.

If you wish to comment specifically on particular target areas or objectives, you may do so at http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/Comments/default.asp. Please see specific suggested comments for each vision objective.

More information about each of these points is available from Prevent Blindness America for assistance with any comment please contact Jennifer Pennock at Prevent Blindness America, at Jpennock@preventblindness.org or 312-363-6037.

Prevent Blindness America supports the first three proposed vision objectives be retained “as is” from Healthy People 2010:

HP 2020-1
Increase the proportion of preschool children aged 5 years and under who receive vision screening.


Potential Comments

  • More than 12.1 million school-age children, or one in four, have some form of vision problem, yet only about 21 percent of preschool-age children have their vision screened, and only an estimated 14 percent of children receive eye examinations before entering kindergarten or first grade.
  • The Partnership for Prevention, in reviewing the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s listing of recommended clinical preventive services, has found that pediatric vision screening is inexpensive, treatment is effective and it improves the quality of life. The Task Force recommends screening to detect amblyopia, strabismus and defects in visual acuity in children younger than five years of age.
  • According to the CDC, impaired vision can affect a child’s cognitive, emotional, neurologic and physical development by potentially limiting the range of experiences and kinds of information to which the child is exposed.
  • Prevent Blindness America acknowledges that professional eye examinations are the “gold standard” of eye care and should always be encouraged, but also believes that vision screening is an appropriate and essential element of a strong public health approach to children’s vision care. The purpose of vision screening is to increase the number of children in need of care who ultimately receive eye exams.

HP 2020-2
Reduce blindness and visual impairment in children and adolescents aged 17 years and under.


Potential Comments

  • Myopia, or near-sightedness, occurs in one in four individuals in the United States. In children, myopia is found in 2 percent of those entering first grade and 15 percent of those entering high school.
  • Prevent Blindness America is pleased to note the reduction in the overall cases of blindness and visual impairment in children and adolescents aged 17 years and under during the Healthy People 2010 years, and supports this objective remaining to further reduce this number.

HP 2020-3
Reduce occupational eye injuries


Potential Comments

  • Eye injuries in the workplace are very common. More than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day.
  • About 1 in 10 injuries require one or more missed workdays to recover from.
  • Of the total amount of work-related injuries, 10-20 % will cause temporary or permanent vision loss.
  • Experts believe that the correct eye protection could have lessened the severity or even prevented 90% of eye injuries in accidents.

The remaining vision objectives have been “retained but modified” from Healthy People 2010:

HP 2020-4
Increase the proportion of adults who have a comprehensive eye examination, including dilation, within the last 2 years and/or by age 45.


Potential Comments

  • Many eye diseases and disorders have no symptoms or early warning signs. A dilated eye exam can detect changes in the retina or optic nerve or both.
  • Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent vision loss in more than 90 percent of patients with diabetic retinopathy.

HP 2020-5
Reduce uncorrected visual impairment due to refractive errors.


Potential Comments

  • One in two Americans has a refractive error or defect that can be corrected to provide sharper vision.
  • 44 million Americans over the age of 40 have a refractive error (myopia or hyperopia).
  • Further data is needed to determine racial, gender and disability disparities in refractive errors.

HP 2020-6
Reduce Visual Impairment.


Potential Comments

  • 4.6 million Americans over the age of 40 are visually impaired or blind.
  • 44 million Americans over the age of 40 have a refractive error (myopia or hyperopia).
  • 2 million Americans over the age of 50 have age-related macular degeneration.
  • 22 million Americans over the age of 40 have cataract.
  • 4.5 million Americans over the age of 40 have diabetic retinopathy.
  • 2.3 million Americans over the age of 40 have glaucoma.
  • The annual cost of adult vision problems in the U.S. comes to approximately $51.4 billion.
  • As the 9 million baby boomers with vision loss continue to age, the number of seniors with vision loss will continue to grow substantially.
  • Of Americans who have vision loss and are 25 years of age and over, 4.5 million have less than a high school diploma, 6.0 million have a high school diploma or a GED, 5.4 million have some college education, and 3.6 million have a bachelor's degree or higher.
  • Approximately 5.7 million people with vision loss in the U.S. have a family income of less than $20,000.

HP 2020-7
Increase the use of personal protective eyewear in recreational activities and hazardous situations around the home.


Potential Comments

  • Each year in the United States, there are approximately 600,000 documented sports-related eye injuries, over 42,000 of which require emergency room attention and an estimated 13,500 of which result in a permanent loss of sight.
  • Approximately 72 percent of sports eye injuries occur in individuals younger than 25 years, and approximately 43 percent occur in individuals younger than 15 years.
  • More than 90% of all eye injuries can be prevented with the use of appropriate protective eyewear.
  • Accidents involving common household products cause 125,000 eye injuries each year.
  • Ninety percent of these home eye injures can be prevented through understanding, safety practices and the use of proper eye protection.
  • Children suffer a disproportionate number of eye injuries, sustaining 27 to 52 percent of all ocular traumas.

HP 2020-8
Increase vision rehabilitation.


Potential Comments

  • With the help of specially trained rehabilitation teachers, orientation and mobility specialists, low-vision specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists, individuals can learn the essential skills for living with vision loss.
  • Many low-vision optical and adaptive devices are available to help individuals make the best use of their remaining vision.

View the Healthy People 2020 vision objectives on-line at: http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/Objectives/TopicArea.aspx?id=48&TopicArea=Vision