ACTION DATES: Feb 20-28, 2024
Fill out the form letter below, provided by the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) with your information and your personalized message (you can edit the subject line, and add your own message to the “message body” field) to ensure that issues that affect the macular degeneration and low vision community are considered. To see the full text of the form letter’s content, scroll below the form.
Letter content
As a constituent concerned about the growth of vision loss in our country, and as one of the 20 million Americans impacted by Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), I write to urge you to prioritize vision research funding and address critical challenges faced by the AMD community.
Vision disorders are projected to cost the U.S. over $199B in 2025, projected to skyrocket to $373 by 2050 as eye disease is projected to double. Meanwhile, we invest only $2.68 per person per year in vision research, a stark contrast to the $594 spent per person with low vision or blindness. Increased research funding and better treatments and cures can help reduce these soaring costs.
Additionally, vision loss is currently the only disability for which assistive devices are not covered. These assistive devices are essential in supporting patients with AMD to live independently and engage in their communities.
Finally, data around vision loss is vital to understand the overall impact on individuals and communities and allows us to better understand the impact of vision loss in the United States for patients, clinicians, and researchers.
As Congress finalizes FY25 appropriations for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), I urge you to prioritize investment in vision research by funding the NEI at $896.5 million, which is level compared to FY24. I also urge you to increase funding to $1 billion in FY26 and ask you to maintain the NEI as a dedicated institute within NIH to ensure vision research is prioritized appropriately.
Please also support Medicare coverage for low vision assistive devices and rehabilitation services as these make a real difference in the lives of patients.
I also hope that you will support the ongoing collection of national eye health data, through the CDC’s Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System, by including $10 million, as described in the Senate’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations.
Finally, I hope that you might consider joining the bipartisan Congressional Vision Caucus, which has no official position on policy, but whose members are dedicated to strengthening and stimulating a national dialogue around policies related to vision loss, blindness, and visual impairments or disabilities.
By prioritizing vision research funding, and access to treatment, services, and assistive devices, we can empower individuals with AMD and pave the way for cost-saving breakthroughs that benefit all Americans.
To further inform and engage on these critical issues, the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) is hosting a Congressional Briefing on macular degeneration in partnership with the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF). This event is scheduled for Monday, February 24, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET, in Rayburn Room 2043. The briefing will feature discussions on macular degeneration research and treatment, providing valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in this field. I kindly request that you or your staff attend this event to gain a deeper understanding, explore potential avenues for legislative support. AMDF looks forward to recognizing and thanking attending offices on their website for supporting the AMD community.
By addressing these issues, we can make significant strides in preventing vision loss and improving the lives of those affected by visual impairments. I appreciate your attention to these matters and your continued support for policies that promote vision health
Thank you for considering my request.