Protecting the National Eye Institute

The Academy strongly opposes any proposal to consolidate or eliminate the National Eye Institute as an independent institute within the National Institutes of Health. Folding the NEI into a broader neuroscience or brain research institute would dilute its dedicated focus, reduce visibility for vision research, and threaten decades of progress in preventing blindness and restoring sight.

As Academy CEO Stephen D. McLeod, MD, has stated: "The NEI has upheld its end of the bargain for the American people. For the sake of the sight of millions, we expect Congress to continue upholding its end."

NEI's specialized mission is critical as the prevalence of eye diseases continues to grow. Maintaining a distinct, independent institute ensures sustained investment, scientific leadership, and continued progress toward preventing vision loss and blindness. 

Coalition advocacy

The Academy has joined forces with the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO), the American Academy of Optometry, and the Alliance for Vision Research to oppose NEI consolidation. Together, these organizations launched the #SeeWhatMatters campaign — a national call to action to protect NEI as a standalone, independent institute and to secure the funding necessary to advance vision research.

Formal statements to Congress

The Academy submitted a formal statement to the Senate Appropriations Committee in August 2024 and a statement to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee in 2025, outlining staunch opposition to NEI consolidation and emphasizing the vision community's unified position.

Capitol Hill engagement

Academy members and staff have conducted extensive Capitol Hill meetings, including in-district visits during Congress’ 2025 August recess with tours of ophthalmology labs and clinics at academic centers nationwide. During these visits, Academy members highlighted the benefits of NEI-funded research to lawmakers and staff, demonstrating firsthand how federal investment in vision science translates to patient outcomes.

Ongoing legislative monitoring

The Academy continues to engage with key appropriators and congressional leaders in Washington to protect an independent NEI. Both the House and Senate rejected NEI consolidation in their FY2026 appropriations bills — a significant advocacy win — but the executive branch's restructuring proposals remain active, and the Academy continues to press Congress to maintain the NEI's independence and funding.

Join the #SeeWhatMatters campaign and make your voice heard. Specific actions you can take:

Invite lawmakers to your practice or institution

One of the most effective advocacy tools has been inviting congressional staff and legislators to tour ophthalmology labs and clinics to see NEI-funded research in action. The Academy can help facilitate these visits — learn how to get involved in the Academy’s advocacy work. 

Share patient stories

Personal accounts of how NEI-funded research has preserved or restored vision are powerful tools in advocacy. The Academy and Alliance for Vision Research are actively collecting and sharing these stories with Congress. Share your story.

The National Eye Institute was established in 1968 as the federal government's lead agency for vision research. As NEI Director Michael F. Chiang, MD, has noted, almost every breakthrough in preventing blindness in the past 50 years has been NEI-supported — including the development of optical coherence tomography, anti-VEGF treatments for macular degeneration, the first FDA-approved gene therapy targeting an inherited disease (Luxturna, for an inherited retinal disorder), and the first FDA-authorized autonomous AI diagnostic tool for diabetic retinopathy screening. Vision loss already costs the U.S. economy nearly $200 billion annually in medical care and lost productivity.

Proposals to restructure the NIH have emerged in two waves. In June 2024, the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a framework proposing to consolidate the NIH's 27 institutes and centers into 15, folding the NEI into a broader "National Institute of Neuroscience and Brain Research" alongside the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The vision community mobilized swiftly in opposition.

The Trump administration's proposed FY2026 federal budget escalated this threat significantly, proposing to cut NIH funding by approximately 40% and consolidate its 27 institutes into just eight. Under this plan, the NEI would be folded into a new neuroscience-focused institute. The proposal was met with unified opposition from the ophthalmology and vision research communities.

In a significant advocacy victory, both the House and Senate FY2026 spending bills maintained funding for all 27 NIH institutes and centers, rejecting the administration's restructuring proposal.