Through letters recently submitted to Congressional leadership in both the House and the Senate, and copied to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Dorothy Camille Shea, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Prevent Blindness and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness are calling on Congress to continue to offer U.S. support for global eye health programs that have demonstrated significant impact over the past four decades. U.S. investments have helped eliminate infectious causes of blindness like trachoma and river blindness in multiple countries, expanded access to assistive technologies such as eyeglasses through the AT-Scale initiative, and improved outcomes for millions of children through the Childhood Blindness Program. These efforts not only enhance global health and education but also support American public health diplomacy, innovation, and economic development.
The USAID-funded Childhood Blindness Program has reached over 12 million children in more than 50 countries and has generated economic benefits both abroad and in the United States—spurring innovation, supporting American research institutions, and increasing demand for U.S.-based products. Early vision correction significantly boosts children’s educational and economic outcomes, making continued investment both morally and economically sound. The letter calls for sustained U.S. funding to build on this legacy of success and maintain America’s global leadership in addressing avoidable blindness.
