LANSING — Health advocates say vision care remains underfunded in Michigan and around the world, even as the need continues to grow.
Health leaders say vision care is often overlooked in charitable giving, particularly in underserved communities, despite being recognized as essential to long-term development by the World Health Organization and the United Nations.
Research shows every dollar invested in vision care can generate up to $28 in economic benefit.
In Michigan, the Gary Burnstein Community Health Center, the state’s largest volunteer-led free clinic, reports many uninsured patients arrive with chronic health conditions that already threaten their eyesight, including diabetes.
Advocates say more than four hundred thousand Michiganders are currently uninsured, with that number expected to rise. Nationwide, millions of adults who need glasses say they cannot afford them.