BOND: GOOD VISION IS FUNDAMENTAL TO LEARNING
Senator Outlines Proposal to Improve Children’s Vision Care
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July 3, 2007
COLUMBIA, MO – U.S. Senator Kit Bond today joined physicians with the University of Missouri Health Care’s Mason Eye Institute and representatives from the optometric industry today to discuss the Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007. The bill combats undiagnosed and untreated vision problems in school-aged children.
“Good vision is fundamental to learning,” said Bond. “We must improve vision care for children to equip them to succeed in school and in life.”
In April, Senator Bond introduced the Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007 with Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT). The bill ensures that children in the U.S. get the vital vision care that they need to succeed in school. It also establishes a grant program to complement and encourage existing state efforts to improve children’ s vision care and educate parents, teachers and health care professionals about healthy vision.
Undiagnosed and untreated vision problems for children are serious issues, stressed Bond. He explained that good vision is critical to learning and helping in kids succeed in school. Bond also cited that he has a personal connection to children suffering from vision problems because he still suffers from permanent vision loss in one eye as a result of undiagnosed amblyopia in his childhood.
According to a recent report, 80 percent of what children learn in their early school years is visual. This is critical to the fact that while vision disorders are considered the fourth most common disability in the United States, two-thirds of all children entering school have never received a vision test. For the one-third of children who do receive a vision test, approximately 40-67 percent who fail the test do not receive the recommended follow-up care.
During the news conference, representatives from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Optometric Association, and the Vision Council of America also expressed their support and the importance of the Vision Care Bill.
Following the discussion, Senator Bond toured a University of Missouri Health Care’s Mason Eye Institute facility. The Mason Eye Institute has provided quality education in ophthalmology and service through the Mason Eye Clinic since its founding in 1959. The Mason Eye Clinic is a full-service ophthalmic clinic which has two off-site clinics, the Eye Institute East also in Columbia and University Physicians Moberly Eye Institute in Moberly. More than 17,000 patients visit the Mason Eye Clinic each year.
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“Good vision is fundamental to learning,” said Bond. “We must improve vision care for children to equip them to succeed in school and in life.”
In April, Senator Bond introduced the Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007 with Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT). The bill ensures that children in the U.S. get the vital vision care that they need to succeed in school. It also establishes a grant program to complement and encourage existing state efforts to improve children’ s vision care and educate parents, teachers and health care professionals about healthy vision.
Undiagnosed and untreated vision problems for children are serious issues, stressed Bond. He explained that good vision is critical to learning and helping in kids succeed in school. Bond also cited that he has a personal connection to children suffering from vision problems because he still suffers from permanent vision loss in one eye as a result of undiagnosed amblyopia in his childhood.
According to a recent report, 80 percent of what children learn in their early school years is visual. This is critical to the fact that while vision disorders are considered the fourth most common disability in the United States, two-thirds of all children entering school have never received a vision test. For the one-third of children who do receive a vision test, approximately 40-67 percent who fail the test do not receive the recommended follow-up care.
During the news conference, representatives from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Optometric Association, and the Vision Council of America also expressed their support and the importance of the Vision Care Bill.
Following the discussion, Senator Bond toured a University of Missouri Health Care’s Mason Eye Institute facility. The Mason Eye Institute has provided quality education in ophthalmology and service through the Mason Eye Clinic since its founding in 1959. The Mason Eye Clinic is a full-service ophthalmic clinic which has two off-site clinics, the Eye Institute East also in Columbia and University Physicians Moberly Eye Institute in Moberly. More than 17,000 patients visit the Mason Eye Clinic each year.
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