[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 141 (Wednesday, October 8, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        FEDERAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS GLAUCOMA SCREENING ACT

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                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 8, 2003

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to reintroduce the ``Federal 
Employee Health Benefits Glaucoma Screening Act.''
  This bill ensures that federal employees will have access to annual 
glaucoma screenings. Specifically, this bill ensures that a contract or 
plan cannot be approved unless it provides coverage for such screenings 
for persons determined to be at high risk for glaucoma, individuals 
with a family history of glaucoma, and individuals with diabetes. The 
service must be furnished by or under the supervision of an optometrist 
or ophthalmologist who is legally authorized to perform such services 
in the state where the services are furnished.
  Glaucoma is a specific pattern of optic nerve damage and visual field 
loss caused by a number of different eye diseases which can affect the 
eye. It is one of the leading preventable causes of blindness in 
America. I have read that blindness is the number three health fear for 
most Americans, right behind heart disease and cancer. Blindness is 
particularly terrible because it can strike healthy people, people in 
the prime of their lives.
  While it can affect Americans of all ethnic and socioeconomic 
backgrounds, glaucoma most frequently attacks diabetics, people 
suffering from hypertension, and African Americans. There is no cure 
for glaucoma--but it can be prevented if caught early enough. Through a 
comprehensive screening, an eye care professional can determine how 
well one can see at various distances, check fluid pressure in eyes, 
inspect optic nerves for signs of damage and, if needed, measure one's 
visual field to see if there is a loss of side vision (one of the 
earliest findings in glaucoma).
  I believe this measure will encourage persons to be screened for 
glaucoma, in turn, increasing the number of persons with early signs of 
glaucoma who can be treated by eye care professionals before blindness 
sets in--recognizing the importance of glaucoma screenings as an 
effective way to educate and prevent glaucoma or blindness.
  Finally, I would like to thank Bud Grant, the Friends of the 
Congressional Glaucoma Caucus Foundation, the University of Maryland 
School of Medicine, and Dr. Eve J. Higginbotham, who is Maryland's own 
nationally known expert on glaucoma, for all they are doing to preserve 
America's vision.
  Please join me in cosponsoring this legislation that will help in the 
fight against blindness.




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