118 HRES 780 IH: Expressing support for the goals of “World Sight Day” by promoting the importance of accessible, affordable, and inclusive eye care. U.S. House of Representatives 2023-10-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV118th CONGRESS1st SessionH. RES. 780IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESOctober 11, 2023Mr. Veasey (for himself, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Payne, and Ms. Sewell) submitted the following resolutionOctober 25, 2023Referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceRESOLUTIONExpressing support for the goals of World Sight Day by promoting the importance of accessible, affordable, and inclusive eye care.

Whereas people with vision problems are more likely than those with good vision to have diabetes, poor hearing, heart problems, high blood pressure, lower back pain, and strokes, as well as have increased risk for falls, injury, and depression;Whereas the majority of people with vision impairment and blindness are over the age of 50 years;Whereas the Lancet Global Health Commission estimates that the economic cost of blindness and moderate to severe vision loss was $411,000,000,000 in 2020 (equivalent to 0.3 percent of the world’s GDP in 2018), costing the most in east Asia ($90,000,000,000) and south Asia ($70,000,000,000);Whereas the overall relative reduction in employment of people with sight loss of working age is 30 percent;Whereas correcting vision improves educational outcomes, increases personal earnings by 5 percent, increases productivity of the working poor by more than 20 percent, improves literacy rates, decreases rates of early retirement, and results in safer drivers and roads;Whereas a slight vision impairment can reduce productivity in the workplace by 20 percent and accuracy by 40 percent;Whereas 50 percent of blindness and low vision in children can be easily prevented or treated, most often with nothing more than a pair of glasses;Whereas globally, at least 450,000,000 children have a sight condition that needs treatment, with 90,000,000 children living with some form of sight loss;Whereas children with vision loss are 2 to 5 times less likely to be in formal education in low- and middle-income countries;Whereas glasses are one of the most effective health interventions for children, reducing the odds of failing a class by 44 percent; andWhereas October 12 is recognized as World Sight Day: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives—(1)supports the goals and ideals of World Sight Day;(2)recognizes the importance of healthy vision;(3)encourages the people of the world to prioritize eye health; and(4)draws attention to the over 1,000,000,000 people worldwide who have vision loss and do not have access to eye care services.