Healthy vision can be a key component to independence and well-being for people of all ages. However, barriers such as poor access to eye care, lack of insurance coverage, and inconsistent policies for eye health can prevent early detection and treatment of eye disorders. In response, eye health and safety organization Prevent Blindness has established the Center for Vision and Population Health (CVPH) as a national coordinating body for effective practices, state-level technical assistance, and programmatic interventions.
The new Center will work in direct collaboration with experts from medical, scientific, public health, research and corporate sectors, leverage key stakeholder input, data from improved surveillance efforts (including state and national survey data), and peer-reviewed scientific literature to identify areas of geographic, population, and disease significance that provide opportunities for significant impact. The information, resources, and guidance developed by this new Center will result in increased awareness about eye health and preventive practices that can be integrated into existing health and social service programs, ultimately elevating the attention given to eye health in the context of public health programs.
In addition, a paper co-authored by Heather E. Whitson, MD, Edwin C. Marshall, OD, and Prevent Blindness President and CEO Jeff Todd, has recently been published in JAMA Ophthalmology, titled “Eye and Vision Health for Tomorrow: From Recommendations to Coordinated Action.” The report details recommendations that aim to improve vision and health equity in the United States through an ongoing centrally coordinated campaign.
Read the full news release from Prevent Blindness.
Source: Prevent Blindness