SJ0076 LRB095 18679 KXB 44978 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 one of many tragic health disparities,
6 affecting African-Americans six to eight times more frequently
7 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 that their Caucasian
11 counterparts; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Latinos and women are also disproportionately
13 affected by glaucoma in younger age groups; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Glaucoma affects increasing numbers of older
15 people across all races and ethnic backgrounds, reducing the
16 quality of life for people in their golden years; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Glaucoma causes people to lose their peripheral
18 sight, oftentimes without the individual knowing it, and
19 consequently only half of all people with glaucoma are aware of
20 their condition; and
 

 

 

SJ0076 - 2 - LRB095 18679 KXB 44978 r

1     WHEREAS, Because of the furtive nature of how glaucoma
2 progresses, it is commonly called the "Sneak Thief of Sight";
3 and
 
4     WHEREAS, Most cases of glaucoma can be controlled and
5 vision loss can be slowed or halted when identified and
6 treated; and
 
7     WHEREAS, When glaucoma is undetected, lost sight cannot be
8 restored; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Glaucoma runs in the family, yet few people know
10 to have regular dilated eye examinations if they are at a
11 higher risk via their family history; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Prevent Blindness America, the nation's leading
13 voluntary health organization dedicated to saving sight and
14 preventing blindness for 100 years, in partnership with the
15 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness, seeks to
16 educate the citizens of Illinois at large, and especially
17 people in communities of higher risk, about the dangers of
18 glaucoma and the importance of regular eye examinations;
19 therefore, be it
 
20     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL

 

 

SJ0076 - 3 - LRB095 18679 KXB 44978 r

1 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2 CONCURRING HEREIN, that we join with Prevent Blindness America
3 and the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness in
4 recognizing January as Glaucoma Awareness Month in the State of
5 Illinois; and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7 presented to Prevent Blindness America and the Illinois Society
8 for the Prevention of Blindness.