Expressing support for the designation of May 2022 as Healthy Vision Month to promote eye care, thereby helping Americans of all ages maintain healthy vision that can keep you safe and active each day.

Whereas, according to studies, 3,400,000 Americans aged 40 years or older are blind or visually impaired, and a total of 80,000,000 Americans have potentially blinding eye diseases;

Whereas, according to studies, people with vision loss are more likely to report depression, diabetes, hearing impairment, stroke, falls, cognitive decline, and premature death, and decreased ability to see often leads to inability to drive, read, and keep accounts;

Whereas among people aged 65 and older, 54.2 percent of those who are blind and 41.7 percent of those with impaired vision say their overall health is poor;

Whereas school-aged children with vision impairment can also experience lower levels of educational achievement;

Whereas adults with vision impairment often have lower levels of workforce participation and productivity and higher rates of depression and anxiety;

Whereas women make up roughly two-thirds of all people with blindness and vision problems;

Whereas, according to studies, African and Latino Americans have an even higher risk than others of developing diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts;

Whereas, according to studies, the cost of vision loss is estimated to exceed $35,000,000,000; and

Whereas vision impairment poses an enormous financial burden, with productivity losses associated with vision impairment from uncorrected myopia and presbyopia alone estimated to cost the United States $244,000,000,000 and $25,400,000,000, respectively, annually: Now, therefore, be it