Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.) introduced a bill to expand preventive care against eye diseases and vision loss.
The Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026 aims to make annual glaucoma screenings more accessible and affordable across underserved communities. The bill also seeks to advance investment in research to protect and restore vision for affected groups.
“Glaucoma can steal a person’s sight before they even know they have it. By the time symptoms appear, the damage may be irreversible,” Rep. Wilson said. “A screening could change the course of someone’s life, but too many people face gaps in coverage or cannot afford the care they need.”
The Bill's Function
The bill would require screening coverage for eligible people with private insurance, Medicaid, and Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage.
It would also remove out-of-pocket costs for glaucoma screenings for Medicare Part B recipients by categorizing it under Preventive services like annual primary care visits or flu shots.
Through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vision Health Initiative, the bill would authorize competitive grants totaling $10 million for free or low-cost screenings and follow-up treatment for uninsured and underinsured people at high risk within underserved communities.
These grants could also support community education, mobile screening units, care coordination, and disease surveillance.
“Protecting someone’s vision protects their ability to work, care for their family, and move through the world on their own terms,” Congresswoman Wilson affirmed. “We have the knowledge to catch glaucoma earlier. We must make sure people have the opportunity to act on it.”
The Rise in Glaucoma Disease
According to a 2022 National Institutes of Health (NIH) report, 4.22 million people in the U.S. had glaucoma, with 1.49 million having their vision affected by the disease.
A 2024 report from the CDC estimated that the number of people suffering from Glaucoma could rise to 6.3 million due to the aging population in the U.S.
