Statement from National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research on Catastrophic Proposed 57% Reduction in Military-Focused Vision Research Program

The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) strongly opposes the drastic 57% reduction in funding for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) proposed in the House’s Continuing Resolution (CR). This unprecedented cut threatens critical research efforts that support our nation’s service members, veterans, and all Americans facing vision-related injuries and diseases.

As with all CDMRP-funded programs, the Vision Research Program (VRP) is instrumental in developing treatments and cures for combat-related eye injuries, retinal diseases, glaucoma, and traumatic brain injury-related vision loss—conditions that disproportionately affect military personnel and veterans. VRP-funded research has led to FDA-approved innovations in retinal prosthetics, neuroprotection strategies for optic nerve damage, and new therapeutic approaches for blast-induced eye trauma, directly benefiting those who have sacrificed in service to our country. Reducing VRP funding would significantly disrupt these critical research efforts, delay potential breakthroughs, and hinder the ability to develop new treatments that restore vision and greatly improve quality of life.

“Cutting 57% of the DoD’s medical research funding in the House-passed CR is a devastating blow to service members, veterans, and all Americans relying on life-changing vision research. The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs Vision Research Program has led to breakthroughs in treating combat-related eye injuries, retinal diseases, and TBI-related vision loss. Congress must reject these reckless cuts and uphold its commitment to those who serve. We urge lawmakers to pass an amendment that will protect vital medical research at DoD.” Dan Ignaszewski, Executive Director

NAEVR joins our partners in the Defense Health Research Consortium (DHRC) and other military-focused medical research advocates in urging Congress to pass a clean CR that maintains stable funding levels and provides lawmakers the necessary time to finalize a bipartisan omnibus appropriations bill. The year-long CR, which includes drastic cuts to CDMRP, would be both short-sighted and extremely harmful, setting back years of progress in critical medical research, including life-changing advancements in vision restoration.

We call on Congress to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to our nation’s warfighters, veterans, and all Americans by rejecting these devastating cuts and ensuring a sustained investment in biomedical and vision research. We urge lawmakers to act swiftly to preserve the integrity of the CDMRP and protect the future of scientific vision research discoveries.