SJ0057 LRB094 17341 HSS 53987 r

1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Glaucoma affects more than 2.2 million Americans
3 age 40 and older, including nearly 100,000 individuals in
4 Illinois; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Glaucoma is indicative of tragic health
6 disparities, affecting African Americans six to eight times
7 more frequently than Caucasians; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness for
9 African Americans, with elder African Americans 14 to 16 times
10 more likely to go blind from glaucoma than their Caucasian
11 counterparts; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Latinos and women are also disproportionately
13 affected by glaucoma in younger age groups than other
14 populations; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Glaucoma affects increasing numbers of older
16 people across all races and ethnicities, reducing the quality
17 of life for people in their golden years; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Glaucoma causes people to lose their peripheral
19 sight, oftentimes without the individual knowing it, and
20 consequently only half of all people with glaucoma are aware of
21 their condition; and
 
22     WHEREAS, Because of the furtive nature of how glaucoma
23 progresses, it is commonly called the "Sneak Thief of Sight";
24 and
 
25     WHEREAS, Most cases of glaucoma can be controlled and
26 vision loss can be slowed or halted when identified and
27 treated; and
 

 

 

SJ0057 - 2 - LRB094 17341 HSS 53987 r

1     WHEREAS, When glaucoma is undetected, lost sight cannot be
2 restored; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Glaucoma runs in the family, yet few people know
4 to have regular dilated eye examinations if they are at higher
5 risk via their family history; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Prevent Blindness America, the nation's leading
7 voluntary health organization dedicated to saving sight and
8 preventing blindness, in partnership with the Illinois Society
9 for the Prevention of Blindness, seeks to educate the citizens
10 of Illinois at large, and especially people in communities of
11 higher risk, about the dangers of glaucoma and the importance
12 of regular eye examinations; therefore, be it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
14 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
15 CONCURRING HEREIN, that we join with Prevent Blindness America
16 and the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness in
17 recognizing January as Glaucoma Awareness Month; and be it
18 further
 
19     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20 presented to Prevent Blindness America and the Illinois Society
21 for the Prevention of Blindness.