Prevent Blindness Wisconsin, and Prevent Blindness America, held the fourth annual “Eyes on Capitol Hill” event, in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. The annual program provides participants the opportunity to meet with their government leaders and share their personal experiences with vision loss. Through the national event, more than 100 appointments were arranged with congressional and senate offices in an effort to provide policymakers the opportunity to discuss the importance of funding vision health programs for their constituents.
Sarah and Greg Simac
Wisconsin had a delegation of participants, including Sarah & Greg Simac of Eagle River, who spoke about their daughter Natalie’s amblyopia, and Laura Brauer of Madison whose eye problems had been caught as a 3 year old and is now a volunteer screener. The group is grateful to Senator Kohl, Senator Feingold, Congressman Kagen, Congresswoman Baldwin and their respective staff members for the warm reception they received in Washington D.C.
Laura Brauer, Tami Radwill and Sarah Simac
“I was fortunate enough to have been screened early by a Prevent Blindness Wisconsin volunteer at my preschool. As a result, my amblyopia was discovered, and I was able to get the proper treatment. I now see quite well with the aid of glasses or contacts and am profoundly grateful to Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. Without their efforts, there is a possibility that I would be blind in one eye, and I may not be where I am today: a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.” said Laura Brauer.
Sarah Simac added, “Vision screenings in young children are talked about and recognized as important, yet they are still lacking in many areas. They need to be made a priority and possibly mandatory, as they may save the sight of a young child. Had my daughter's amblyopia not been caught, she would be completely blind in one eye today.”
Half of all blindness is preventable through early detection and treatment. The key is for adults and children to have access to quality vision health programs and care. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately only one in three children in America have received eye care services before their sixth birthday.
For more information on Eyes on Capitol Hill or for more information on how you can contact your state representative to ask for their support on vision-related issues, please call 414-765-0505 or visit preventblindness.org/wi.
About Prevent Blindness Wisconsin
Prevent Blindness Wisconsin provides free, direct sight-saving services throughout Wisconsin. In implementing these services, we prevent blindness by identifying early signs of vision disorders, facilitating early and effective treatment, and preventing eye injury. We are a non-profit organization and are supported entirely by voluntary contributions from individuals, corporations, family foundations, organizations, special events, and bequests. Our fiscal year is April 1st through March 31st.
