Boozman Introduces Troop Eye Trauma Bill

Press Release

Critical legislation enjoys bipartisan support

U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) today introduced critical legislation aimed at improving the care of American troops affected by combat eye trauma.

H.R. 3558, the "Military Eye Trauma Treatment Act of 2007," would create a Center of Excellence within the Department of Defense specifically devoted to the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of military eye injuries.

A bipartisan group of Members have already signed on to the Boozman bill, including: Rep. John Hall (D-NY), Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM), Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Rep. Marion Berry (D-AR), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. James McGovern (D-MA), and Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL).

"This is important legislation for the care of our wounded servicemembers suffering from eye trauma on active duty," Boozman, an optometrist, said. "Serious eye wounds are among the most common injuries incurred by our troops in our current conflicts."

H.R. 3558 also requires a joint Defense-VA program for servicemembers and veterans affected by visual dysfunction related to traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to statistics, 54% of all servicemembers treated at Walter Reed who have experienced TBI have experienced vision dysfunction. At the Veterans Administration's Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center in Palo Alto, Calif., 70% of those with TBI had developed vision dysfunction.

"TBI has become the hallmark injury of our current conflicts," Boozman said. "The treatment of TBI, and the vision issues deriving from it, is important work that the Defense Department and VA should work together and provide leadership on."

Between October 2001 and June 2006, over 1,000 troops with combat eye trauma were evacuated from overseas military operations, making serious eye wounds one of the most common types of injury experienced in our current conflicts.

"Many combat eye injuries require multiple surgical procedures and treatments at several facilities, including the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration," said Boozman, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. "Coordination between the two is vital to ensuring effective treatment for our injured troops and veterans; this is why the bill requires the sharing of information."

The primary responsibility of the Center of Excellence would be the development of a "Military Eye Injury Registry," containing up-to-date information on the diagnosis, treatment - including surgery - and follow-up for each serious eye injury received by any member of the armed forces while serving on active duty. The Registry will include input from optometrists and ophthalmologists from both the Department of Defense and the VA, and it must allow for the electronic exchange of information with the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

"Adequate communication and a smooth transition from the military to the VA is important on many fronts, including those who have suffered severe eye injuries," said Boozman, whose bill (H.R. 2239) granting early access to veterans benefits by severely injured active military passed in May. "This type of communication is what I learned was needed when I looked into the eye-care programs at Walter Reed this past July."

Since that visit, Rep. Boozman has also received input and support from the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) and other Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) who have recognized the seriousness of combat eye trauma.

In the Senate, similar legislation (S. 1999) has been introduced by Sens. John Kerry (D-MA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Barrack Obama (D-IL) and Pete Domenici (R-NM).

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