Healthy Vision Month

WHEREAS, children’s ability to learn and enjoy the world around them becomes more difficult without good vision; and

WHEREAS, untreated eye problems in children can worsen and can cause other serious problems impacting their ability to learn and properly develop; and

WHEREAS, untreated eye problems, such as amblyopia, are very serious and can lead to the loss of  vision if not detected and treated early in life; and

WHEREAS, because many eye problems begin at an early age and may be more effectively treated early on, it is important for all children to receiver proper eye care; and

WHEREAS, vision problems affect twenty five percent of school-aged children and five percent of preschool children; and

WHEREAS, the best way to detect vision problems at the earliest, most treatable states, is through a comprehensive dilated eye exam; and

WHEREAS, these comprehensive dilated eye exams can detect eye diseases and conditions before vision loss occurs; and

WHEREAS, all parents and guardians are encouraged to schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam for their child before they enter kindergarten; and

WHEREAS, the month of May is designated across the nation as a A Healthy Vision Month in order to elevate vision as a health priority for the nation; and

WHEREAS, Hayley Barber is a contestant for Miss Alabama this year and her platform is “Sight for Small Eyes”; and

WHEREAS, Hayley Barber, serving as an advocate, will be traveling the state in May to promote and raise awareness of the importance of improving access to children’s eye care:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of the State of Alabama, do hereby proclaim May 2014, as

Healthy Vision Month

in the state of the Alabama and urge all citizens to help raise awareness about the importance of improving access to children’s eye care.