CHICAGO– Prevent Blindness will hold its 10th annual “Eyes on Capitol Hill” program on June 16, 2015, in Washington, D.C. The program, which is intended to provide citizens from all over the U.S. with the opportunity to meet with congressional and senate members, will give people a platform to discuss vision care issues.

Along with educating their members of Congress on eye diseases and eye safety, the delegation will ask that more be done in the way of prevention, early detection and research, Prevent Blindness said in a statement.

“By speaking with their own constituents, who can share first-hand experience on the impact that vision issues have on their lives and within their communities, we hope to educate our policymakers on the importance of programs and program funding that help to save sight,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness.

The Eyes on Capitol Hill meetings have been scheduled to ask elected officials to:

• Provide $1,000,000 in FY 2016 to maintain the Vision Health Initiative at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Provide at least $3,294,000 for the Glaucoma Project at CDC.
• Support the Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s (MCHB) National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health (the Center) in developing a public health infrastructure to promote and ensure a continuum of vision and eye health care for children.
• Provide $730 million in FY 2016 funding for the National Eye Institute at the National Institutes of Health.
• Cosponsor H.R. 1312/S. 898, the National Health Service Corps Improvement Act, to increase access to eyecare in underserved areas.
• Join the Congressional Vision Caucus (CVC).

On June 17, Eyes on Capitol Hill delegates will attend the fourth annual Focus on Eye Health National Summit  at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. This year’s summit will include presentations related to the theme, "Game Changers in Vision,” highlighting efforts and advances that are expected to change the way eyecare is delivered and thought about in the future.