Federal Vision Care for Kids Act of 2006

OPTICIANS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA ENDORSES

FEDERAL VISION CARE FOR KIDS ACT OF 2006

            In a letter to U.S. Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond (R., MO), Mark F. Cloer, President of the Opticians Association of America (OAA), today announced the organization’s endorsement of the Vision Care for Kids Act of 2006 [S. 3685].  The bill, introduced by Sen. Bond in July, would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for the purpose of complementing existing State efforts to provide eye examinations to children – especially those under nine years of age – who have been identified by preliminary vision screening as in need of a more comprehensive eye exam.  Such grants could also be used for treatment or services required to correct vision problems, and for developing and disseminating relevant educational materials.

            “Identifying and correcting at an early age both commonplace vision deficiencies and more serious diseases of the eye should be a high priority for our society,” wrote Mr. Cloer.  He added:  “Children with uncorrected poor eyesight are likely to experience trouble keeping up in school.  Children with undiagnosed diseases or functional defects of the eye may face a lifetime of otherwise avoidable vision impairment.”

            Mr. Cloer concluded by noting that Sen. Bond’s bill, by providing Federal funding to encourage widespread eye examinations for youngsters who need them, “constitutes a classic example of the proverbial ‘ounce of prevention’ that will more than pay for itself over time.”

            The legislation has also been endorsed by American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Optometric Association and the Vision Council of America, among others.

 [A copy of Mr. Cloer’s letter is attached.]

The OAA was founded in 1926 as the Guild of Prescription Opticians of America, and later reorganized as the Opticians Association of America.  As the national trade association of opticians, OAA is committed to promoting opticianry as an integral part of the nation’s health care system through professional education opportunities, legislative representation and communication, and public awareness.

For more information, please visit www.oaa.org.