FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2020
Contact:
Kat Bustamante
kat@coremessage.com
386-316-9668

                                   Florida Senate Makes Children’s Vision Screening a Priority

Tallahassee, Fla. (March 4, 2020) – Yesterday, the Florida Senate adopted Senate Resolution 1252, which recognizes August 2020 as “Amblyopia Awareness Month,” thanks to the efforts of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO) and the For Eye Care Foundation (FECF).

The resolution, sponsored by Senator Lori Berman, will bring awareness to amblyopia and why it is essential that all kids between the ages of three and five obtain a vision screening. Fewer than 20 percent of preschool children are currently screened for vision problems. Amblyopia, more commonly referred to as “lazy eye,” is the most common cause of permanent vision loss in children. Eye disorders that cause amblyopia include, but are not limited to, refractive error, misalignment of the eyes (strabismus), cataracts, corneal opacities, and tumors such as retinoblastoma. Amblyopia is preventable, if caught and treated early.

“Hundreds of thousands of children in the U.S. are too often left with permanent vision loss due to issues that go undetected,” said Darby D. Miller, MD, MPH, President, Florida Society of Ophthalmology, Board of Trustees, For Eye Care Foundation, Inc. “We know that the sooner children are identified to have vision threatening disorders such as amblyopia, the sooner we can treat them and the better their chances of successful treatment.”

The resolution also promotes statewide preschool vision screenings, with a goal statewide to test all children between the ages of three and five. The FSO, along with the FECF, will be partnering with organizations across the state to promote amblyopia awareness and perform pediatric vision screenings.

“Early detection is key in preventing permanent visual loss. We thank Senator Lori Berman for recognizing that our children need access to screenings, and the need for parents to have both knowledge and resources to know what to look out for to help prevent this type of blindness in their children,” said Dr. Cano, M.D., Chair of the For Eye Care Foundation.

View the resolution here: www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/1252/BillText/Filed/PDF
 

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About the Florida Society of Ophthalmology
The Florida Society of Ophthalmology is the state’s leading advocate for providing Floridians the highest standard of eye care. The FSO’s mission is to promote and protect the medical specialty of ophthalmology through active participation in legislative advocacy and providing continuing medical education and responsible information to its members, physicians and the citizens of Florida. Please visit www.mdeye.org for more information.

About the For Eye Care Foundation, Inc.
The For Eye Care Foundation, Inc. is the charitable arm of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology, an organization of ophthalmologists devoted delivering the highest standard of eye care throughout the state of Florida. The For Eye Care Foundation, Inc., formed in 2010 by the Florida Society of Ophthalmology, assists other eye care organizations with community outreach and delivers important public service messages regarding eye care and disease. Please visit www.mdeye.org/foreyecare for more information.