THE BILL ITSELF
SR 724
Amblyopia Awareness Month
Florida Senate - 2026 (NP) SR 724 By Senator Berman 26-00677-26 2026724__
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Senate Resolution
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A resolution recognizing August 2026 as “Amblyopia
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Awareness Month” in Florida.
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WHEREAS, amblyopia is the most common cause of vision loss
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in children, and
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WHEREAS, amblyopia can cause permanent vision loss if not
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detected and treated early in a child’s life, and
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WHEREAS, the detection of amblyopia and other vision
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threatening disorders, including retinoblastoma tumors,
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cataracts, and strabismus, in early childhood increases the
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chances of successful treatment, especially when the disorder is
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detected before a child reaches 5 years of age, and
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WHEREAS, many forms of amblyopia are difficult to detect
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and can be identified only through proper screening techniques,
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and
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WHEREAS, the sooner children are identified as having
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amblyopia or any other vision-threatening disorder, the sooner
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treatment can commence, and
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WHEREAS, millions of children in the United States have
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been left with permanent vision loss due to undetected amblyopia
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and other childhood vision disorders that, if detected with
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proper screening, could have been successfully treated, and
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WHEREAS, less than 20 percent of preschool children are
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currently screened for vision problems, despite the fact that
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such screening is a service covered by many health insurance
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plans and health maintenance organizations, and
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WHEREAS, parents should be encouraged to have their
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children screened for vision problems before admission to
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preschool, and
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WHEREAS, the Florida Society of Ophthalmology and the For
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Eye Care Foundation, Inc., believe that it is of paramount
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importance to promote statewide preschool vision screening, with
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the goal of testing all children between 3 and 5 years of age,
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NOW, THEREFORE,
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Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
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That August 2026 is recognized as “Amblyopia Awareness
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Month” in Florida.