UV and Our Nation's Vision: Insights from the Congessional Briefing

From sunburn to skin cancer, almost everyone is aware of the damage that ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause to their skin – but very few understand the dangers of UV exposure to their eyesight.

Read the white paper from Prevent Blindness America and Transitions.

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Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who helped make our UV and Our Nation’s Vision congressional briefing a great success.

We were honored to have Representative Gene Green, (D-TX), Co-Chair of the Congressional Vision Caucus provide the welcome address. The event was hosted by Hugh Parry, President and CEO of Prevent Blindness America, and included speakers Drusilla Hufford, Director of the Stratospheric Protection Division at the US EPA; Vincent Young, MD, Chairman of the Division of Ophthalmology, Albert Einstein Medical Center; Prof. Kovin Naidoo, Director of Global Programs at the International Centre of Eyecare Education; and Peter Kehoe, OD, Past-President of the American Optometric Association.

For those of you not able to attend this important congressional briefing, an overview of the presentations from our speakers can be found here.

Our Vision

Most Americans know that they need to protect their skin from the sun – but are largely unaware of the need to protect their eyes. Recognizing this, Prevent Blindness America is hosting a Congressional Briefing to educate on the devastating and largely preventable impact of UV exposure on the eye, and to encourage action:

• Inclusion of UV eye protection messages in current and future government-funded education programs on related topics, such as eye- and overall- health or sun protection;
  
  
• Research on the impact of UV on the eye as a topic of consideration for future government-funded efforts
  
  
• Heightened awareness of role of vision wear in enhancing eye health and safety, as well as overall quality of life and productivity.

 

Hosted by Prevent Blindness America with support from Transitions Optical, Inc.