VISION 2020 USA

Launched on April 30, 2009, US domestic and international organizations have come together to work through Vision 2020 USA. Vision 2020 USA is the U.S national entity within the broader global Vision 2020 initiative established by the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), and is organised to facilitate communication and shared advocacy efforts among the many U.S. based organizations working in the field of eye health and blindness prevention.

Who are the members of Vision 2020 USA?

Since its founding in 2009, 47 professional academic, research, and program development organizations have joined to grow the Vision 2020 USA coalition.  Vision 2020 USA members draw from diverse backgrounds including not for profit eye health organizations, universities and other academic agencies, research based organizations, with strong relationships with U.S. federal agencies like the National Eye Institute, Centers for Disease Control, and other members of the Department of Health and Human Services, and a range of other impactful organizations sharing a commitment to eye health and supporting persons with vision impairment and blindness.  Vision 2020 USA organizations are active across the U.S. and around the world. Vision 2020 USA’s highest priority is to support member organizations’ shared goals.

What are the major goals of VISION 2020 USA?

VISION 2020 USA’s mission is advocacy, education, and awareness. Working together, the U.S. community will advocate at the federal, state and local levels to amplify the essential message that saving sight and supporting people who are visually impaired makes sense socially, culturally and economically and on the importance of dedicating resources to support eye health programs. The Vision 2020 USA community will also educate Americans about diseases that can put them at risk of blindness, and create awareness about eye health services that can save sight and services for the visually impaired.

How is VISION 2020 USA supported?

VISION 2020 USA is supported solely by its members on a voluntary basis.

Who is eligible to join?

Any organization based in the U.S. engaged in efforts to improve eye health and support the visually impaired is eligible to join. We encourage interested organizations to connect and find out more about VISION 2020 USA – advocacy enjoys strength in numbers!

Apply to join Vision 2020 USA.

What is VISION 2020 USA working on now?

Vision 2020 USA organized members nationally in 2019 to develop a joint letter to the U.S. Surgeon General which included a consensus statement of the group’s eye health priorities for the future in the U.S.

This statement was shared with the main U.S. federal government Health and Human Services representative, also known as “the nation’s doctor”, the U.S. Surgeon General, was well-received, and led to a meeting of Vision 2020 USA representatives with the U.S. Surgeon General and national leaders in health care.  Vision 2020 USA advocated for a major national report to coordinate federal, state, and local government efforts and engage the stakeholder community and others to improve vision and eye health in the U.S.  Vision 2020 USA is now working with the U.S. Surgeon General’s office to develop strong and evidence-based measures to deliver to the U.S. population.

Vision 2020 USA also delivers an annual congressional briefing on vision and eye health to the main U.S. legislative bodies in conjunction with World Sight Day. The purpose of this briefing is to educate legislators and others in Washington DC, and advocate for expanded access and affordability of eye health services in the U.S.  2019’s World Sight Day congressional briefing drew national leaders including the National Eye Institute’s (NEI) Acting Deputy Director Mary Frances Cotch, Ph.D., along with NEI’s Communications Director Maria Zacharias and Congressional Liaison office’s Nora Wong, M.P.H.

The year 2020 will see further growth of Vision 2020 USA’s oversight structure, supporting sustainability and solidifying our foundation to serve our member organizations more effectively.

A leading priority of Vision 2020 USA is to strengthen communication among stakeholder organisations and support their work in the areas of advocacy, education and awareness.

How do I contact VISION 2020 USA?

If your organization is interested in joining Vision 2020 USA, or for more information please contact:

Mitchell V. Brinks, M.D., M.P.H.
Chair, Vision 2020 USA
Oregon Health & Science University
Email: [email protected]