Advocacy Events

World Sight Day - Oct. 12, 2023

To celebrate World Sight Day, ARVO staff joined the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) #LoveYourEyes campaign, urging employers to provide quality eye care for employees with the goal of ensuring eye care is available, accessible and affordable for all.

Advances in Macular Degeneration: New and Upcoming Therapies - Sept. 20, 2023

In recognition of Healthy Aging Month, ARVO was among the sponsors for AEVR and the American Macular Degeneration Foundation's (AMDF) fourth Research Saving Sight, Restoring Vision Congressional Briefing entitled Advancements in Macular Degeneration: New and Upcoming Therapies. This briefing featured speakers Neena Haider, PhD, of Harvard Medical School and patient-advocate Mark Roser. Learn more. 

Emerging Vision Scientist (EVS) Day - Sept. 20 & 21, 2023

AEVR's Research Saving Sight, Restoring Vision Initiative hosted its Ninth Annual Emerging Vision Scientists (EVS) Day. Thirty early-stage investigators from around the country displayed posters of their research in an evening Congressional Reception. 

The following day, the EVS conducted 55 Congressional office visits and urged Congress to finalize FY2024 appropriations before the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1. NAEVR and ARVO staff joined several visits throughout the day. Learn more. 

Congressional Life Science Fair - July 19, 2023

ARVO joined 14 science institutions at the Congressional Life Science Fair on Capitol Hill. Over 100 people and Congressional staffers were present, allowing ARVO to engage in meaningful conversations about crucial issues impacting the eye and vision scientific community. The discussions revolved around the importance of federal funding for the NIH and NEI to enhance global research efforts. 

Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Summit - July 12-13, 2023

ARVO was a sponsor for the Focus on Eye Health Summit hosted by Prevent Blindness. Attendees included ARVO members, researchers, healthcare professionals, legislative staff, corporate partners, patient advocates, national vision and eye health organizations and more. 

This year's virtual summit had more than 900 global attendees and focused on "Why the Eye?". ARVO member Dean A. VanNasdale, OD, PhD, was the recipient of the 2023 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health. Presentations and webinar recordings are available on the Prevent Blindness YouTube page. 

Annual ARVO Advocacy Day - Feb. 28, 2023

ARVO Advocacy Day, organized by the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR), is an annual opportunity for U.S.-based early-career scientists and established researchers to share their science and experience with their representatives, discuss the impact of their work and review the essential role of federal funding. The advocates also invited policymakers to visit their labs.

This year's Advocacy Day returned to in-person visits on Capitol Hill. Members of ARVO’s Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) and Advocacy and Outreach Committee, the 2022 Emerging Advocate Award winner, and 2022 Science Communication Training Fellows conducted visits with their Representatives and Senators.

Read the 2023 ARVO Advocacy Day summary

View photos from 2023 ARVO Advocacy Day

Researching the Impact of Lifestyle on Ocular Surface Disease – July 13, 2022

ARVO was among the sponsors for the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) and the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) seventh annual Dry Eye Awareness Month Congressional Briefing. This Briefing featured Associate Professor Maria Markoulli, PhD, MOptom, GradCertOcTher, FBCLA, FAAO from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology Anat Galor, MD, MSPH from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Fla.; and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering Tannin Schmidt, PhD from UConn School of Dental Medicine, Farmington, Conn. View the briefing.

NEI's Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research (DRCR) Network: Optimizing Treatment for Diabetic Eye Disease Patients – May 25, 2022

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) continuing its Research Saving Sight, Restoring Vision Initiative with this virtual Congressional Briefing recognizing Healthy Vision Month. The event featured the chairs of the DRCR Network, Jennifer Sun, MD, MPH, and Daniel Martin, MD, along with Brain Sheehan, the Vice President of Lions Clubs International. View the briefing. 

Understanding glaucoma patients: Health disparities and unmet need – March 8, 2022

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) virtual Congressional Briefing recognizing World Glaucoma Week (March 6 - 12). The briefing featured Duke University Medical Center's Professor of Ophthalmology Leon W. Herndon Jr., MD, the Glaucoma Research Foundation's President & CEO Thomas Brunner, and Patient Representative Trinh Green, MD. View the briefing. 

Annual ARVO Advocacy Day - Feb. 25, 2022

ARVO Advocacy Day, organized by the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR), is an annual U.S. based opportunity for students and established researchers to share their science and experience with their representatives, and discuss the importance of their work and how it depends on federal funding. They also invited policymakers to visit their labs.  

With the persistent COVID-19 pandemic once more Advocacy Day was held virtually. Some of ARVO’s Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) members, the 2020 and 2021 Advocacy Award winners, the Advocacy and Outreach Committee Chair, Science Communication Training Fellowship Alumni, and the 2021 Science Communication Training Fellows, conducted visits with their Representatives and Senators via conference and zoom calls.  

Read 2022 ARVO Advocacy Day summary

Better understanding Thyroid Eye Disease: Physician, patient and caregiver perspectives/Discussion on women's vision health – Nov. 17, 2021

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for this Congressional Briefing hosted by Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) during the second annual Thyroid Eye Disease Awareness Week (Nov. 14-20). The event featured Kimberly Cockerham, MD, FACS, a private practice physician in Stockton, Calif., Kathryn Godburn Schubert, MPP, CAE, from the Society for Women's Health Research in DC, Kira Baldonado, MPH, from Prevent Blindness in Chicago, Ill., and Ron and Vickie Barela, patient advocate and caregiver. View the briefing.

Speaking with keratoconus patients about research and treatments – Nov. 10, 2021

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for this Congressional Briefing hosted by Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) and the National Keratoconus Foundation (NKCF) to recognize World Keratoconus Day 2021. Featured speakers Christopher Rapuano, MD, from the Wills Eye Hospital and Christine Sindt, OD, FAAO, from the University of Iowa addressed how they speak with newly diagnosed KC patients about research and treatment options. View the briefing.

Myopia: A Public Health Crisis – Oct. 20, 2021

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for this Congressional Briefing hosted by Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) to address myopia clinical care and research. The event featured Jason Compton, OD, from Compton Eye Associates in New York and Katherine Lee, MD, PhD, from St. Luke's Children's Hospital in Idaho. View the briefing. 

Congressional Briefing: Latest on clinical practice and research for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) patients – Sept. 21, 2021

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for the International AMD Awareness Week 2021 and Health Aging Month. Hosted by the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR), the briefing featured clinician-scientist Amir H. Kashani, MD, PhD, Wilmer Eye Institute/Johns Hopkins University and National Eye Institute (NEI) researcher Kapil Bharti, PhD, with Matt Levine from the American Macular Degeneration Foundation and AEVR Past Executive Director James Jorkasky moderating a post-presentation discussion with the speakers. Watch the briefing. 

A Conversation: Moving beyond COVID-19 in my career pathway – Sept. 21, 2021

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) Seventh Annual Emerging Vision Scientists (EVS) Day. In addition to speaking with their representatives via phone and Zoom calls to advocate for eye and vision research funding, the 28 early-stage vision scientists conducted a conversation on how they have applied lessons learned from COVID-19 laboratory closures to their future research and career pathway. Access the dossier book for detailed info. about each researher and view the conversation.

A Lifestyle Epidemic: Ocular Surface Disease – July 13, 2021

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for this sixth annual Dry Eye Congressional Briefing hosted by Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) and the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) in recognition of Dry Eye Awareness Month 2021. Featured speakers were Jennifer P. Craig, PhD, FCOptom, from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, David A. Sullivan, MS, PhD, TFOS Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors, Christopher E. Starr from Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and AEVR's Past Executive Director James Jorkasky, who is a Dry Eye Disease (DED) patient. Watch the briefing. 

Glaucoma: Clinical Practice and Research to Optimize Patient Outcomes – March 11, 2021

ARVO provided platform support for this Congressional Briefing hosted by Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) as part of AEVR’s new Research Saving Sight, Restoring Vision Initiative and World Glaucoma Week 2021. The event featured clinician scientist-educators Mona Kaleem, MD and Elyse Joelle McGlumphy, MD, both from the Wilmer Eye Institute at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, as well as Glaucoma Research Foundation's patient representative Amanda Eddy, who was born with glaucoma. The clinician scientists talked about glaucoma and their respective clinical experiences in treating patients and their research efforts. Eddy spoke about quality-of-life challenges presented by glaucoma. Watch the briefing.

Annual ARVO Advocacy Day – Feb. 19, 2021

ARVO Advocacy Day, organized by the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR), is an annual U.S.-based opportunity for students and established researchers to share their science with their representatives, describe how their work and careers depend on federal funding and invite policymakers to visit their labs.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, advocates, including ARVO's Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) members, Science Communication Training Fellows, Advocacy Award winners, and Advocacy and Outreach Committee leadership, conducted visits with theit Representatives and Senators via conference and zoom calls. Advocates spoke with their members of Congress about the importance of funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Eye Institute (NEI).

Read 2021 ARVO Advocacy Day summary

Thyroid Eye Disease: What Have We Learned Through Research? – Nov. 19, 2020

ARVO provided platform support for this Congressional Briefing hosted by Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) as part of AEVR’s Decade of Vision 2010-2020 Initiative and the the first-ever TED Awareness Week. The event featured Gary Lelli, MD, Vice Chair of Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York who is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in oculoplastic surgery. He was joined by patient advocate Christine G. a small-business owner from California who described her experience with TED, focusing on its quality-of-life implications. Read a summary and watch the briefing.

Emerging Vision Scientists (EVS) Capitol Hill Day – Sept. 24, 2020

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) Sixth Annual Emerging Vision Scientists (EVS) Day. In addition to speaking with their representatives via phone and Zoom calls to advocate for eye and vision research funding, the 22 early-stage vision scientists conducted a conversation about the impact of COVID-19 laboratory closures on their research and overall career pathway. View the conversation.

Artificial Intelligence in Retinal Diseases: Focus on Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) – Sept. 23, 2020

ARVO provided platform support and was among the sponsors for the International AMD Awareness Week 2020 and Health Aging Month Briefing on September 23. Hosted by the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR), the briefing featured National Eye Institute (NEI) clinician-scientist Tiarnan D. Keenan, BM, BCh, PhD and T.Y. Alvin Liu, MD, Wilmer Eye Institute/Johns Hopkins University, who discussed how Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases. Jack Stewart, a representative from the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF), also provided an AMD patient’s perspective. View the briefing.

Dry Eye Awareness Month Congressional Briefing – July 8, 2020

ARVO was among the sponsors for the Dry Eye Congressional Briefing on July 8, and additionally, provided live streaming support. Hosted by the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) in conjunction with the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS), Fifth Annual Dry Eye Awareness Month Congressional Briefing entitled How Lifestyle Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic Can Affect Vision. View the briefing.

World Glaucoma Week Congressional Briefing – Feb. 26, 2020

ARVO was among the sponsors for the World Glaucoma Week Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill on Feb. 26. Hosted by the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR), The Impact of Federal Funding on Glaucoma Research and Clinical Practice featured AEVR Board President, Paul Lee, MD, JD. 

Annual ARVO Advocacy Day – Feb. 7, 2020

ARVO Advocacy Day, organized by the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR), is an annual U.S.-based opportunity for students and established researchers to share their science with their representatives, describe how their work and careers depend on federal funding and invite policymakers to visit their labs.

This event brings ARVO members from the U.S. and abroad to Washington, D.C. to talk to members of Congress — including new members and those assigned to key committees with NIH funding oversight — and their staff about the importance of science research funding. Participation in this event is also part of ARVO’s Science Communication Training Fellowship (required for U.S. fellows only).

Read 2020 ARVO Advocacy Day summary

View 2020 ARVO Advocacy Day photo album

World Sight Day 2019 Congressional Briefing – Oct. 17, 2019

ARVO was among the sponsors for the Vision 2020 USA World Sight Day Luncheon Briefing on Capitol Hill on October 17. Moderated by Mitchell Brinks, MD, MPH, chair of VISION 2020 USA, the educational briefing featured ARVO member, Michael Chiang, MD. Chiang spoke to attendees, which included Congressional staff, about the promise of artificial intelligence (A.I.) and big data analytics in vision and eye care. View the briefing
 

Emerging Vision Scientists (EVS) Capitol Hill Research Exhibition/Education Days – Sept. 18-19, 2019

ARVO attended the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR)'s Emerging Vision Scientists (EVS) Capitol Hill Research Exhibition/Education Days, which spanned various activities focused on the benefits of federal funding in eye and vision research.

ARVO staff had the chance to meet all EVS's during a Congressional Reception on Sept. 18, during which AEVR President and ARVO member Paul Lee, MD, JD presented remarks. ARVO staff also had the opportunity to accompany EVSs and the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) during Congressional office visits on Sept. 19, educating members of Congress and their staff on the importance of NIH and NEI funding on critical eye and vision research. Read full summary here
 

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Congressional Briefing – Sept. 18, 2019

ARVO was among the sponsors of the Congressional Briefing entitled New Stem Cell-Based Therapies for Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Blast-Related Eye Injuries, which featured speaker Kapil Bharti, PhD (National Eye Institute). Read full summary here
 

Prevent Blindness National Summit – July 17, 2019

ARVO members and staff were amongst the attendees and presenters at the Focus on Eye Health National Summit, A Lifetime of Vision hosted by Prevent Blindness on July 17 in Washington, DC. Highlights of the summit — sponsored in part by ARVO — included keynote speaker Bill Barkley, a visually impaired adventurer, advocate and author, and presentations and discussions on the preservation of vision throughout a lifetime. Attendees included ARVO members, patient advocates, community-based organizations, national vision and eye health organizations and government agencies. The summit concluded with the presentation of the Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health to ARVO member Cynthia Owsley, PhD, MSPH, FARVO. View the presentations

The previous day included Congressional visits during Eyes on Capitol Hill Advocacy Day on July 16, also hosted by Prevent Blindness. Patient advocates, including ARVO members, from around the country came to Washington, D.C. to meet with their legislators and staff to discuss the importance of eye and vision health.
 

Dry Eye Awareness Month Congressional Briefing – July 10, 2019

ARVO members Benjamin Sullivan, PhD; Deborah S. Jacobs, MD; Bridgette Shen Lee, OD and David A. Sullivan, PhD, FARVO participated on a panel alongside other dry eye researchers on July 10, during a Congressional briefing hosted by the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) and the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) as part of Dry Eye Awareness Month. In addition to being educated on dry eye and the importance of dry eye research funding through NIH and NEI, Congressional staff were also invited to have their tear film osmolarity tested, courtesy of TearLab.
 

Celebrate Life Sciences Fair – June 21, 2019

ARVO participated in the Celebrate Life Sciences Fair in Washington D.C. with more than 200 Congressional staffers in attendance. ARVO staff had the opportunity to discuss key issues affecting the scientific community and how worldwide research would benefit from an increase in federal funding towards NIH and NEI.
 

Diabetic Retinopathy Congressional Briefing – May 15, 2019

Along with the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR), ARVO co-hosted a luncheon briefing for members of Congress and their staff titled, NEI's Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network: Optimizing Treatment for Diabetic Eye Disease. ARVO members Jennifer Sun, MD, MPH, of Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School and Daniel Martin, MD, of Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic presented the history and potential of the National Eye Institute's Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR).

Optical Coherence Tomography Congressional Briefing - 2017

ARVO hosted its first Capitol Hill Congressional briefing in conjunction with the publication of its first peer-reviewed paper. The briefing focused on the $11.2 billion in healthcare savings enabled by a government-funded discovery -- OCT (optical coherence tomography). This widely attended event was held in conjunction with the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research, with special support from Research to Prevent Blindness. Featured speakers at the briefing included:

• Claude Burgoyne, MD, FARVO, Devers Eye Institute and 2018 ARVO President
• Philip Rosenfeld, MD, PhD, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
• Eric Swanson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology