WASHINGTON– The American Academy of Ophthalmology today called on the federal government to develop a unified standard for glaucoma screening and detection to help ensure patient access to appropriate and effective care for this potentially blinding disease. In 2005, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPTF) concluded that there was insufficient scientific evidence to support the continued practice of screening for glaucoma. The finding is at odds with current medical practice and with current public policy, including those of multiple federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“The inconsistency between the USPTF finding and current practice has the potential to threaten the access of patients with private insurance to detection of and treatment for glaucoma,” said C.P. Wilkinson, MD, president of the Academy. “It is critical that we revisit the scientific issues in order to resolve the contradiction in policies and protect the vision of patients.”

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and The Glaucoma Foundation are sponsoring a conference entitled “Glaucoma Screening and Treatment: Driving Towards a Unified Federal and Private Sector Policy Approach,” which is being held today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The conference brings together representatives from the government, medical and patient-advocacy sectors to address issues caused by the USPTF finding and to present the most current research about glaucoma screening. Dr. Wilkinson and representatives from the Academy’s D.C. office will be among the attendees.