House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

Posted:	January 9, 2013 03:53 PM
From:	Representative Kathy L. Rapp
To:	All House members
Subject:	Early Childhood Vision Care Education Program

In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that directs the Department of Health to establish the Early Childhood Vision Care Education Program. The National Institute of Health reports that many vision problems develop before children reach school age. Less than 15% of all preschool children receive an eye exam and less than 22% of preschool children receive some type of vision screening. Early recognition of eye disorders and disease results in more effective treatment that can be sight saving or even life saving. The most common disabling childhood vision disorders include amblyopia, strabismus and significant refractive errors. In addition, retinoblastoma, the most common type of eye tumor in children and one of the most common pediatric cancers, can be detected in a routine eye examination. Untreated, retinoblastoma is almost always fatal, however, early disgnosis and treatment saves lives and preserves visual function.
View Attachment

Introduced as HB477