    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 10 (Monday, March 10, 1997)]
    [Page 276]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Proclamation 6976--Save Your Vision Week, 1997

    March 3, 1997

    By the President of the United States

    of America

    A Proclamation

        Our eyes are our windows to the world. They give us the freedom to
    gaze at a sunset, read a book, or drive a car. Our sight allows us to
    jog along a garden pathway or enjoy a panoramic view.
        All of us need to care for our vision, but older Americans in
    particular should be aware of their susceptibility to eye disease. As
    the ``baby boom'' generation ages, it is critical that these Americans
    receive regular eye examinations from eye-care professionals.
        A thorough exam can lead to early detection and control or cure of
    eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataract, and diabetic retinopathy. A
    professional eye exam can also diagnose age-related macular degeneration
    (AMD), a leading cause of severe visual impairment and blindness in the
    United States. This common disease affects the retina, the part of the
    eye that helps to produce sharp, central vision required for activities
    such as reading and driving. AMD causes a loss of this clear, central
    vision; in some cases, vision loss is rapid and dramatic. The risk of
    AMD dramatically increases after age 60. It is estimated that this
    disease already causes visual impairment in approximately 1.7 million of
    the 34 million Americans now older than 65. As these numbers continue to
    grow, researchers are working to find the cause of, and develop
    treatment for, this debilitating disease.
        People with AMD and its accompanying visual impairment often cannot
    perform daily activities such as reading the newspaper, preparing meals,
    or recognizing faces of friends. The inability to see well affects
    routine activities and social interactions and can lead to a loss of
    independence.
        However, low-vision services and devices can greatly improve the
    quality of life for visually impaired patients and help them maintain
    their independence. Devices such as hand-held magnifiers, computer
    monitors with large type, and large-print newspapers and books can help
    the visually impaired dramatically improve their quality of life.
        To remind Americans of the importance of protecting their eyesight,
    the Congress, by joint resolution approved December 30, 1963 (77 Stat.
    629; 36 U.S.C. 169a), has authorized and requested the President to
    proclaim the first week in March of each year as ``Save Your Vision
    Week.''
        Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United
    States of America, do hereby proclaim March 2 through March 8, 1997, as
    Save Your Vision Week. Our eyes play a vital role in our independence
    and daily living and need to be examined regularly. Let us recognize the
    work done by vision researchers across our Nation on AMD and other eye
    diseases and the efforts they are making to enhance and retain our
    precious sight. Education on good vision starts with us, and we should
    take progressive steps to protect our eyes.
        In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of
    March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of
    the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
    twenty-first.
                                                William J. Clinton

    [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., March 4,
    1997]

    Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on March
    5.