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2020 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 108
Designating 2020 as The Year of the Eye Exam in Virginia.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 29, 2020
Agreed to by the Senate, March 3, 2020
 

WHEREAS, the American Optometric Association reports that up to 16 million Americans struggle with undiagnosed or untreated vision impairments and that eye diseases, vision loss, and eye disorders create an estimated $139 billion economic burden; and

WHEREAS, comprehensive eye exams serve a vital function in preventive medicine, maintenance of quality vision acuity, and eye health; and

WHEREAS, eye exams can serve as early indicators for a number of underlying health conditions and life-threatening diseases while providing insight into important markers of overall health; and

WHEREAS, doctors of optometry encourage an annual comprehensive eye exam to help patients protect their vision and ensure early diagnosis and treatment of visual system diseases like glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness; and

WHEREAS, more than half of all doctors of optometry in Virginia are members of the Virginia Optometric Association, with members practicing in every region of the Commonwealth; the association is committed to educating and informing policymakers, the news media, and the public about essential eye health and vision care; and

WHEREAS, as part of a comprehensive eye exam, visual acuity is rated on a fractional scale that expresses the distance at which an individual can read certain size letters, with 20/20 representing normal, healthy vision; and

WHEREAS, the year 2020 provides a one-time opportunity to emphasize the importance of eye health and encourage Virginians to take care of their vision and health by making an appointment for an in-person, comprehensive eye exam; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly designate 2020 as The Year of the Eye Exam in Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to the Virginia Optometric Association so that members of the association may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates post the designation of this year on the General Assembly's website.