National summit to provide update on vision problems in US

Washington, DC-The first-ever Focus on Eye Health: A National Summit, part of a weeklong series of events Prevent Blindness America (PBA) is presenting, will take place here June 20. It will feature the release of the update of “Vision Problems in the US: Prevalence of Adult Vision Impairment and Age-Related Eye Disease in America”, in partnership with the National Eye Institute and Johns Hopkins University.

PBA said this event will serve as a key launching pad for newly revised public health data on vision and eye health. The event will provide updates of two very significant public health reports from PBA-“Vision Problems in the U.S.” and the “Economic Impact of Vision Problems” as well as a variety of public health presentations that will address vision and eye health in the United States.  

Scheduled presentation topics include:

Vision Problems in the U.S: Prevalence of Vision Problems - Dr. David Friedman, Johns Hopkins University.

Economic Impact of Vision Problems - Dr. Kevin Frick, Johns Hopkins University.

National Plan for Eye and Vision Research - Dr. Rick Fisher, National Eye Institute.

Surveillance of Vision Problems - Dr. Paul Lee, University of Michigan.

Co-Morbidities and Vision - Dr. John Crews, Vision Health Initiative, Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Diabetes and the Eye - Dr. Ann Albright, Division of Diabetes Translation, CDC.

Current gold-level sponsors include Allergan Foundation, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Optometric Association, Genentech, Transitions Optical, The Vision Council, VSP, and Vision Vitals Foundation. Silver-level sponsors include Alliance for Eye and Vision Research, AMD Alliance International, American Foundation for the Blind, American Health Assistance Foundation, American Public Health Association, Foundation for Eye Health Awareness, Helen Keller International, Jewish Guild Healthcare, Lighthouse International, Lions Club International, Regeneron, Research to Prevent Blindness, School Health, ThromboGenics, Vision 2020 USA, Vistakon, and VisionServe Alliance.

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