Prevent Blindness and the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health Sponsor Institute of Medicine Report
New Study Seeks to Provide Extensive Data and Recommendations on Vision Health in the United States –
CHICAGO (Jan. 13, 2015)– Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, and the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness announced today that both groups are co-sponsoring, along with other organizations, a new Institute of Medicine (IOM) study entitled “Public Health Approaches to Reduce Vision Impairment and Promote Eye Health.”
“At its core, Prevent Blindness is a public health organization. We believe that, by joining this effort, we can have a tremendous impact on the vision health of all Americans and better understand the issues involved and the specific ways in which we can successfully address them,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness.
According to the IOM, a committee of experts across multiple disciplines will produce a consensus study to examine the core principles and public health strategies to reduce visual impairment and promote eye health in the United States. The final report, anticipated to be released in 2016, will describe limitations and opportunities to:
- Improve vision and eye health surveillance;
- Reduce vision and eye health disparities;
- Promote evidence-based strategies to improve knowledge, access and utilization to eye care;
- Identify comorbid conditions and characterize their impact; and
- Promote health for people with vision impairment.
Added Parry, “We are excited to be a part of this groundbreaking effort, the results of which will allow us to work collaboratively with other key stakeholders in the field to make a positive impact on vision and eye health across the country.”
For more information, please call Prevent Blindness at (800) 331-2020 or visit advocacy.preventblindness.org.
Download a copy of the Institute of Medicine report press release.
