PRINTER'S NO. 4132
No. 801 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY BARD, BAKER, BEBKO-JONES, BELFANTI, BISHOP,
CAPPELLI, CORRIGAN, COY, CRAHALLA, CRUZ, DONATUCCI, D. EVANS,
FAIRCHILD, FEESE, FORCIER, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH,
GRUCELA, HARRIS, HERMAN, HORSEY, JAMES, KILLION, LAUGHLIN,
LEDERER, LESCOVITZ, McILHATTAN, S. MILLER, MUSTIO, PALLONE,
PAYNE, PHILLIPS, READSHAW, ROSS, RUBLEY, SCAVELLO, B. SMITH,
SOLOBAY, STERN, THOMAS, WOJNAROSKI AND SATHER, JUNE 22, 2004
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JUNE 22, 2004
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the week of June 28, 2004, as "Macular Degeneration
2 Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Macular degeneration is a progressive eye disease
4 which attacks the macula of the eye where the sharpest central
5 vision occurs, robbing the individual of all but peripheral
6 vision; and
7 WHEREAS, Macular degeneration affects as many as 15 million
8 Americans; and
9 WHEREAS, Age-related macular degeneration is the number one
10 cause of vision loss in adults over 60 years of age; and
11 WHEREAS, As Pennsylvania's population ages, cases of macular
12 degeneration will be on the rise; and
13 WHEREAS, While predominantly a disease of aging, macular
14 degeneration may also strike in childhood; and
15 WHEREAS, Juvenile macular degeneration affects one in 10,000
1 children; and
2 WHEREAS, Certain factors other than heredity may play a role
3 in macular degeneration, including smoking, hypertension and
4 diet; and
5 WHEREAS, While there is no cure, wet (neovascular) macular
6 degeneration can be treated with laser in some cases; and
7 WHEREAS, Visual rehabilitation and vision aids are effective
8 in assisting people with macular degeneration; therefore be it
9 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
10 week of June 28, 2004, as "Macular Degeneration Awareness Week"
11 in Pennsylvania so that Pennsylvanians can become more familiar
12 with the symptoms of this disease.
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