SCR 18-NOVEMBER 2018: DIABETIC EYE DISEASE MONTH                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:31:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON announced the consideration of SCR 18.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:31:57 PM                                                                                                                    
DAKOTA   ORM,  Staff,   Senator   Mia   Costello,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature, presented SCR 18 on  behalf of the sponsor. She said                                                               
among adults  with diabetes, more  than one-fourth  have diabetic                                                               
retinopathy. According  to the  National Eye  Institute, diabetic                                                               
retinopathy is the leading cause  of blindness in adults ages 20-                                                               
74. With no early symptoms, it  is vital to generate awareness to                                                               
motivate  people   with  diabetes  to  get   regular  eye  exams.                                                               
According to the National Eye  Institute, early detection, timely                                                               
treatment, and  follow-up can  reduce the  risk of  severe vision                                                               
loss by  95 percent.  Proclaiming November  2018 as  Diabetic Eye                                                               
Disease Month will  raise awareness and lower the  risk for those                                                               
living with diabetes as they seek prevention and treatment.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  BEGICH  asked what  will  be  done  in November  if  the                                                               
resolution passes.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. ORM  said November 2018  is Diabetes Awareness  Month. Adding                                                               
in  Diabetic Eye  Disease Month  will further  inspire events  to                                                               
include regular eye exams.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:33:44 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON opened public testimony on SCR 18.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL  LEVITT,   Staff,  American  Academy   of  Ophthalmology,                                                               
supported SCR 18. He said this  is part of a national observance.                                                               
Of  people   age  40  and   older,  7.7  million   have  diabetic                                                               
retinopathy.  This   is  the   most  prevalent   complication  of                                                               
diabetes. In  Alaska that is  about 20,000  people. It is  not an                                                               
insignificant  problem.  It is  expected  to  increase in  coming                                                               
years.  If eye  exams occur  once a  year, many  problems can  be                                                               
treated.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:35:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON closed public testimony on SCR 18.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:35:46 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON entertained  a motion to move the  resolution out of                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:36:01 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GIESSEL moved  to report  SCR  18, Version  30-LS1445\D,                                                               
from committee with individual  recommendations and attached zero                                                               
fiscal note.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:36:14 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WILSON found  no  objection  and SCR  18  passed from  the                                                               
Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committee.