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Children's Vision Care Takes Forefront in Congress

July 2006 - U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO), who suffers from permanent vision loss due to undiagnosed amblyopia as a child, today introduced bipartisan legislation, the Vision Care for Kids Act, to increase the number of children who receive vision care. If enacted, the bill would allocate funds for states to treat vision problems in children, as well as to educate residents about healthy vision.

The legislation focuses on providing children the care needed after being identified as having a potential vision problem by a vision screening or comprehensive eye exam (see Figure 1). By ensuring the proper follow-up, states can greatly reduce the number of students who fall through the cracks and enter school at a disadvantage.

Currently, follow-up procedures vary from state to state. A 2005 Vision Council of America report, Making the Grade? [PDF], found that 33 states mandate vision screenings for students; however, 29 of those states do not require children who fail the screening to undergo a follow-up eye exam^¹. Since nearly two-thirds of children who fail vision screenings do not comply with recommended treatment, many children enter school with uncorrected vision problems.

"Eighty percent of learning is through the visual processing of information, making good vision essential for school success," said Joel Zaba, M.A., O.D., an optometrist and child development specialist. "If a child enters school with an uncorrected vision problem, he will fall behind his peers and may never reach his full potential."

Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is the leading cause of vision loss in children. It affects approximately two million children under the age of nine. Bond was one of those children who entered school with undetected amblyopia and struggled with his class work. Now, he is working to raise awareness about the link between vision and learning.

Bond has already begun to educate Americans about the need for children's vision care. He is featured in a public service advertisement (PSA) with National Amblyopia Youth Spokesperson, Kennedy Biederman. The PSA was developed to raise awareness about amblyopia and the need for early detection.

Jill Biederman, Kennedy's mother, was unaware of the need for preventive vision care until Kennedy was diagnosed with amblyopia. "Neither I nor my husband wears glasses, so we just took it for granted that our daughter would have good eyesight as well. Kennedy never complained about not being able to see well," said Biederman. "When we found out she was blind in one eye and had 20/80 vision in the other, I was mortified. I could not understand how she was reading or even functioning in school."

Bond hopes to reduce the number of children like him and Kennedy whose amblyopia went unnoticed. "This important legislation will improve vision care for children to better equip them to succeed in school and in life. Together we will make a difference in the lives of children across the country," said Bond.

There are several warning signs that can alert parents to a potential vision problem. Look for these five telltale signs of poor vision in your child:

1. Squinting, closing or covering one eye; excessive blinking or rubbing of the eyes
2. Dislikes, avoids or has a short attention span with close up work
3. Placing the head close to a book when reading; losing place while reading
4. Complaints of headaches when reading or writing
5. Turning or tilting the head to one side

"If parents notice any warning signs, they should take their child to an eye doctor for a comprehensive vision examination," said Zaba. "Being proactive is the best way to make sure your child has healthy vision and is able to develop up to his or her fullest potential."

For more on vision care legislation, visit www.2020advocacy.com.

¹ States with vision screening requirements: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia

States with no mandatory follow-up eye exam after a failed screening: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia