On May 26, legislators introduced a new bill into Congress to expand current federal vision and vision rehabilitation programs and increase federal research of eye diseases.

In addition, the Vision Preservation Act (H.R. 2671)  calls for increased awareness of vision problems by identifying key steps in prevention and public health.

The bill emerged in response to Vision Problems Action Plan: A National Public Health Strategy, a report that addressed vision problems in the United States. The report was developed by Prevent Blindness America, the American Optometric Association, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Lighthouse International and the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research.

Specifically, the act would:

 Expand federal research on eye diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Eye Institute (NEI). 

Expand current federal vision education and awareness programs.

 Create a public education program at the NEI to increase awareness of age-related macular degeneration and stress the importance of early detection in preventing vision loss. 

Direct the Department of Health and Human Services to develop voluntary guidelines to ensure quality vision screenings.

 Standardize coverage of vision rehabilitation services so that all Medicare beneficiaries would have equal access, regardless of where they live.

Authorize a study on barriers that medically-underserved populations face in accessing vision services covered under Medicare, including vision rehabilitation.

The text of the bill states that the number of Americans who are blind or visually impaired will likely double by 2030. Yet we know that nearly half of all vision diseases are preventable, says Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), who presented the bill along with other members of the Congressional Vision Caucus. The caucus is a bipartisan coalition of congressional members who advocate for policy on vision-related problems and disabilities.

This legislation will put the federal resources in place to conduct critical research on eye diseases and provide for vision rehabilitation under Medicare in an effort to prevent and treat the vision diseases that afflict too many Americans, Rep. Green says.

The bill has been referred to the House of Representatives subcommittee on health for further consideration.