DELAWARE STATE SENATE

151st GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 12

RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF MAY 2021 AS "HEALTHY VISION MONTH" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, during Healthy Vision Month, the National Eye Institute (NEI) reminds individuals to prioritize eye health and protect their sight; and

WHEREAS, vision impairment and eye disease cost the United States $68 billion annually in direct healthcare costs, lost productivity, and diminished quality of life; and

WHEREAS, there are over 250,000 reported problems for Delawareans over the age of forty; and

WHEREAS, as of 2015, there were 219,543 girls and 235,919 boys under the age of eighteen that have vision difficulty in the United States; and

WHEREAS, children’s vision screening is recommended at birth; and

WHEREAS, nearly forty percent of children in the preschool age group have never had a vision screening; and

WHEREAS, parents, teachers, and caregivers should monitor children carefully and make an appointment with an eye physician at the first signs of vision problems; and

WHEREAS, serious vision issues disproportionately affect people of color, with glaucoma (after cataracts) as the second leading cause of blindness in African-Americans, and the glaucoma-related blindness rate for African-Americans being six times what it is for others, and half of African-Americans with glaucoma not realizing they have it; and

WHEREAS, regular dilated eye exams can detect eye disease and vision problems in the early stages when they are easiest to treat; and

WHEREAS, children from families with lower incomes and children who lack health insurance are more likely to go without needed eyeglasses; and

WHEREAS, children with poor vision can have difficulty participating in class, suffer from low self-esteem, and receive low grades; and

WHEREAS, research has documented that receiving glasses increases students’ math and reading grades; and

WHEREAS, vision is 80% of our sensory connection to the world.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 151st General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House concurring therein, that May 2021 is recognized as “Healthy Vision Month” in the State of Delaware and all citizens of Delaware are urged to recognize this event and participate fittingly in its observance.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all citizens of Delaware are urged to receive periodic eye examinations.

SYNOPSIS

This concurrent resolution recognizes the month of May 2021 as "Healthy Vision Month" in the State of Delaware.

Author: Senator Lawson