Prevent Blindness Announces the Sixth Annual Focus on Eye Health National Summit
Prevent Blindness will hold the sixth annual Focus on Eye Health National Summit on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The Summit will include a variety of presentations related to this year’s theme, “What’s in Sight?”
In response to the 2016 release of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Report, “Making Eye Health a Population Health Imperative: Vision for Tomorrow,” the agenda will feature discussions around key pillars of public health such as health policy, surveillance, health promotion, and state/community programs.
Preliminary agenda topics include:
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- Moving Forward from NASEM Report
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- Establishing a Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System for the Nation
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- Children’s Vision and Eye Care: Coverage, Communities, and Accountability
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- Health Promotion, Awareness and Education
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- Spotlights of States Engaging in Eye Health
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- Eyes on the Hill: Reflections on the First Six Months
Attendees of this free event will include patient advocates, national vision and eye health organizations, government representatives, and community-based organizations. Those unable to attend in person will have an opportunity to watch a live video stream of event presentations as well as follow the event on Twitter at #eyesummit.
During the event, Prevent Blindness will present the Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health. The award is presented annually to an individual, team, or organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of public health related to vision and eye health at the community, state, national, and/or international level. Last year’s recipient of the award was Bruce Moore, OD, Marcus Professor of Pediatric Studies, New England College of Optometry.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. To date, gold-level sponsors of the Summit include Genentech, Lighthouse Guild International, National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health, NORC at the University of Chicago, and The Vision Council.
Silver-level sponsors are Alliance for Aging Research, Association for Researchers in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), BrightFocus Foundation, The EyeSight Foundation of Alabama, The Foundation Fighting Blindness, Lions Clubs International, Vision 2020 USA and Vision Impact Institute.
“Prevent Blindness has been bringing Americans to eye care for more than 100 years,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “Through our annual Focus on Eye Health National Summit, we are bringing together leading experts from around the world to share ideas and learn about the most effective ways to promote and protect healthy vision.”
Prevent Blindness will also hold the 12th annual Eyes on Capitol Hill event, bringing those directly impacted by vision loss and blindness together with their government representatives on Tuesday, June 27. A reception for the Congressional Vision Caucus (CVC) will be held the evening of this Capitol Hill event. The CVC is a bicameral and bipartisan coalition of more than 100 Congressional Members dedicated to strengthening and stimulating a national dialogue and policy on vision-related problems and disabilities. A Congressional briefing will be held on Thursday, June 29.
To register or for more information about the 2017 Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health National Summit and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.preventblindness.org/eyesummit or call (800) 331-2020.
Download a copy of the 2017 Focus On Eye Health National Summit press release.
