SJ0057

LRB094 17341 HSS 53987 r






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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Glaucoma affects more than 2.2 million Americans 
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age 40 and older, including nearly 100,000 individuals in 
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Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Glaucoma is indicative of tragic health 
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disparities, affecting African Americans six to eight times 
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more frequently than Caucasians; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness for 
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African Americans, with elder African Americans 14 to 16 times 
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more likely to go blind from glaucoma than their Caucasian 
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counterparts; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Latinos and women are also disproportionately 
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affected by glaucoma in younger age groups than other 
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populations; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Glaucoma affects increasing numbers of older 
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people across all races and ethnicities, reducing the quality 
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of life for people in their golden years; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Glaucoma causes people to lose their peripheral 
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sight, oftentimes without the individual knowing it, and 
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consequently only half of all people with glaucoma are aware of 
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their condition; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Because of the furtive nature of how glaucoma 
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progresses, it is commonly called the "Sneak Thief of Sight"; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Most cases of glaucoma can be controlled and 
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vision loss can be slowed or halted when identified and 
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treated; and

 
 


 






SJ0057
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LRB094 17341 HSS 53987 r




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    WHEREAS, When glaucoma is undetected, lost sight cannot be 
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restored; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Glaucoma runs in the family, yet few people know 
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to have regular dilated eye examinations if they are at higher 
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risk via their family history; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Prevent Blindness America, the nation's leading 
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voluntary health organization dedicated to saving sight and 
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preventing blindness, in partnership with the Illinois Society 
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for the Prevention of Blindness, seeks to educate the citizens 
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of Illinois at large, and especially people in communities of 
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higher risk, about the dangers of glaucoma and the importance 
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of regular eye examinations; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
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CONCURRING HEREIN, that we join with Prevent Blindness America 
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and the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness in 
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recognizing January as Glaucoma Awareness Month; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Prevent Blindness America and the Illinois Society 
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for the Prevention of Blindness.