Key Takeaways

  • The Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026 would expand annual glaucoma screening coverage across private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program for eligible individuals
  • The legislation would authorize $10 million for community screening and treatment initiatives targeting high-risk and underserved populations during fiscal years 2027 and 2028
  • An additional $10 million would support National Eye Institute research into areas including optic nerve repair, neuroprotection, gene therapies, and strategies to preserve or restore vision

US Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.) has introduced the Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026, legislation that aims to expand insurance coverage for annual glaucoma screenings, establish programs to improve access to screening and treatment in underserved communities, and provide additional federal funding for glaucoma research.

According to Prevent Blindness, the legislation, introduced as H.R. 10476, would extend glaucoma screening coverage to eligible individuals enrolled in private health plans, Medicaid, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. It also would eliminate applicable Medicare Part B cost sharing for glaucoma screenings among eligible patients. The coverage provisions generally would take effect in 2027.

“Glaucoma can steal a person’s sight before they even know they have it. By the time symptoms appear, the damage may be irreversible,” Rep. Wilson said in announcing the legislation. “A screening could change the course of someone’s life, but too many people face gaps in coverage or cannot afford the care they need.”

The measure comes as updated epidemiologic data underscore the burden of glaucoma in the United States. An estimated 4.22 million people were living with glaucoma in 2022, including approximately 1.49 million with vision-affecting glaucoma. The estimated prevalence among US adults was 1.62%, rising to 2.56% among adults aged 40 years or older, according to data published in JAMA Ophthalmology and incorporated into the CDC's Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System.

The legislation also cites evidence indicating that approximately half of individuals with glaucoma may be unaware they have the disease, highlighting the potential role of screening in identifying patients before significant vision loss develops.

Under the legislation, screening eligibility would include adults aged 40 years or older who identify as having African, Hispanic/Latino, or Asian ancestry. Individuals with clinical risk factors also would qualify, including those with diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, elevated intraocular pressure, myopia, certain blood pressure conditions, reduced central corneal thickness, or chronic corticosteroid use. Adults aged 60 years or older also would be eligible.

Beyond insurance coverage, the legislation would use the CDC's Vision Health Initiative to establish competitive grants supporting free or low-cost glaucoma screenings and follow-up treatment for uninsured and underinsured individuals at increased risk. Grant funding also could support community education, mobile screening programs, care coordination and disease surveillance, with priority given to projects serving racial and ethnic minority communities and other underserved populations experiencing a high burden of vision loss.

The legislation would authorize $10 million across fiscal years 2027 and 2028 for these activities.

A separate component of the Glaucoma Vision Act would authorize $10 million across fiscal years 2027 and 2028 for National Eye Institute research.

The funding could support research involving optic nerve repair and regeneration, neuroprotection, gene therapies, and other approaches aimed at preserving or restoring vision, according to Prevent Blindness.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is among the ophthalmic and vision organizations supporting the legislation.

“No one should lose their sight because glaucoma went undetected,” Michael Repka, MD, MBA, medical director for governmental affairs at the Academy, said in a statement. “The Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026 would expand screening coverage, invest in community detection programs, and support vital research to improve treatment and prevent vision loss.”

The bill has more than 20 House cosponsors. Organizations supporting the measure include the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Alliance for Vision Research, Cornea Society, Macula Society, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and Prevent Blindness.