U.S. Senate Supports Vision Care for Kids
Sens. Bond and Dodd lead bill to improve children’s vision care
Washington, D.C. (April 18, 2007) – With bipartisan support, the S. 1117, the “Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007” was introduced today in the U.S. Senate. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO) – who was diagnosed with amblyopia as a child – and Christopher Dodd (D-CT), aims to provide children with follow-up care needed after being identified with a potential vision problem by a comprehensive eye exam or vision screening.

“The Vision Council of America applauds Senator Bond and Senator Dodd for their leadership and ongoing commitment to strengthening the vision health of the nation's children,” said Ed Greene, chief executive officer of the Vision Council of America. “We strongly support and commend the Senators for crafting a very thoughtful and achievable piece of legislation that will have a great impact for generations to come.”

S. 1117 is supported by the alliance of the Vision Council of America, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, the American Optometric Association, Better Vision Institute and Prevent Blindness America. This legislation serves as a complement to H.R. 507, identical legislation introduced earlier this year in the House of Representatives and is advantageous, as it will expedite the legislative process.

“With the overwhelming support from the vision community, the Senate legislation has many legs to stand on,” continued Greene. “Now that we have House and Senate bills, we look forward to working with our optical allies to help move this legislation forward.”

VCA encourages all members of the vision community to contact their congressman and ask him or her to support this legislation. For more information on the “Vision Care for Kids Act for 2007” or to write to your congressman, visit www.2020advocacy.com.

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Vision Council of America (VCA) is a leading organization in the ophthalmic industry representing a wide base of global optical manufacturers and distributors. VCA and its membership are visionaries for the industry, working to create awareness of the value of vision care and to grow the eyewear marketplace through education, forums and expositions, industry statistics and data, technical standards, public relations and advocacy.