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Healthy Eyes Healthy People is an ambitious public-private initiative to improve the eye and visual health of Americans. HEHP promotes collaboration among government agencies, health care advocates and optometrists to develop innovative strategies for community outreach to help promote good health and optimum vision.

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Healthy Eyes Healthy People®

AOA's Healthy Eyes Healthy People® grants fund community projects

2009 Grant Recipients Announced!

Healthy People 2010 (HP2010) is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) health promotion and disease prevention initiative for the nation, which emphasizes early diagnosis and treatment. HP2010 contains health goals and over 400 health objectives, which includes 10 objectives addressing eye and vision conditions, to be met by the year 2010.

The American Optometric Association (AOA) is taking a leadership position in improving the eye and visual health of the nation through its own initiative, Healthy Eyes Healthy People® (HEHP). In 2001, the AOA Board approved HEHP, an ambitious public-private initiative to improve the eye and visual health of Americans. HEHP promotes collaboration among government agencies, health care advocates and optometrists to develop innovative strategies for community outreach to help promote good health and optimum vision.

In 2002 AOA was only one of seven national associations to have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DHHS; and in 2006 was one of even fewer organizations to have the MOU renewed for three more years. This MOU reflects the intent of AOA and HHS to work together to implement the HP2010 objectives. The ten vision objectives of both programs are:

Increase percentage of persons receiving dilated eye examinations
Increase percentage of preschool children receiving vision screenings
Reduce uncorrected refractive errors
Reduce visual impairment in children and adolescents
Reduce visual impairment due to diabetic retinopathy
Reduce visual impairment due to glaucoma
Reduce visual impairment due to cataract
Reduce occupational eye injury
Increase use of personal protective eyewear
Increase use of vision rehabilitation services and devices

For more information about the HP 2010 vision objectives go to www.healthyvision2010.org or the Healthy Vision Month website.

The AOA provides grants to state optometric associations to help address the vision needs of communities. Beginning in 2004, 42 grants totaling $90,000 were awarded to State Optometric Associations and made possible by the ophthalmic industry. These innovative HEHP collaborative community outreach program grants addressed one of the ten HP 2010 vision objectives.

In 2005, a total of 54 grants totaling $190,000 were awarded to State Optometric Associations with support from Luxottica Group and Vision Service Plan (VSP).
In 2006, 44 grants totaling $205,000 were awarded to State Optometric Associations through the generous support from Luxottica Group and VSP.
In 2007, there were 33 grants funded by VSP and Luxottica totaling $140,000.
In 2008, VSP and Luxottica funded 49 grants for a total of $185,000.
In 2009, 57 grants totaling $190,000 were awarded to the State Optometric Associations for community eye and vision care efforts through generous support from Luxottica Group and VSP. With this year’s grants, the AOA HEHP grant program has provided over $1 million in funding for vision outreach projects.

The goal of HEHP is for optometrists to change community health programs so that vision services are provided and optometrists are recognized as vital to the health care system. Each State Optometric Association has appointed an HEHP consultant to spearhead activities with state health department and local community groups. A list of those consultants is accessible to AOA members by clicking here.

For additional information contact Uzma Zumbrink, MPH, at UAZumbrink@aoa.org.