NEI Office of Vision Health and Population Sciences

For some time, stakeholders in the vision community have been advocating for NEI to take a more active role to improve the public’s vision health, reduce the disparities in vision that impact negatively on quality of life, and understand more comprehensively how and when ocular signs and symptoms manifest alongside other health conditions over the human lifespan. The COVID-19 pandemic has also brought attention to the practical needs of those with low vision, the blind and the deaf-blind during times of national crisis. Having an office within NEI dedicated to public health will help coordinate existing activities within and across NIH and provide a focal point for new trans-agency programs to remediate disparities in eye health. The Office of Vision Health and Population Sciences (OVHPS) will also enable staff to proactively reach out to other federal partners to cultivate interest in vision and engage on topics of mutual interest.