Prevent Blindness (PB)—with support from the Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington, DC—announced it will host a dual congressional briefing and free vision screening event in honor of World Sight Day on October 12, 2023.
Refresh me on this organization first.
Founded in 1908, PB is a public health advocacy organization focused on preventing blindness and preserving sight via services such as:
- Public and professional education
- Advocacy
- Certified vision screening training
- Community and patient engagement programs
- Public health research
Now the event.
Sponsored by Horizon Therapeutics, Genentech, and AbbVie, the 4-hour event is a reflection of the 2023 WSD theme of “Love Your Eyes at Work,” which focuses on protecting employees’ vision within the workplaces and calling for a prioritization of eye health of all workers across the country.
Now talk about the agenda.
The 4-hour event will kick off at 10 a.m. EST with free vision screenings available for attendees to assess visual acuity and a potential detection of glaucoma risk factors.
Then what?
At 12 pm EST, a congressional briefing will feature David B. Rein, PhD, MPA, of the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, who will speak on his research in data collection and analysis of new perspectives surrounding access—as well as disparities in access—to eye health care services in America on varying levels of insurance coverage.
The full speaker list includes:
- Vivian Fridas
- Public Policy Specialist, National Industries for the Blind and Manager, Advocates for Leadership and Employment Program
- Caren Forsten
- CEO, Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington, DC
- David B. Rein, PhD, MPA
- NORC at the University of Chicago
- Sara D. Brown, MPA
- Director of Government Affairs, Prevent Blindness (moderator)
And the goal of this briefing?
Per PB, attendees are expected to learn:
- How vision loss can affect patients on a personal/professional level based on their access to vision and eye care services.
- The role of the CDC’s Vision Health Initiative (VHI) in public health surveillance, data analysis, and epidemiology to inform state and community-level vision loss interventions
- How data informs policies on equity based on populations, race/ethnicity, social determinants of health, and county/regional differences
Very briefly, talk about the VHI.
According to the CDC, the VHI is a group within the CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation that exists to promote vision health and quality of life for the U.S. population via preventing and controlling eye disease, injury, and vision loss that can lead to disability.
See here for its goals and objectives.
And the full schedule?
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. → Vision screenings
12 to 1 p.m. → Congressional briefing*
*To note, lunch will be provided
Location?
Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2043 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
Do I need to register for this?
Yes! Although the event is free and open to congressional leaders, eyecare professionals (ECPs), and the public, registration is advised.
Click here to register.