National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research

NAEVR is a non-profit advocacy organization comprised of a coalition of 55 professional, consumer, and industry organizations involved in eye and vision research. NAEVR's goal is to achieve the best eye and vision care for all Americans through advocacy and public education for eye and vision research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its National Eye Institute (NEI), Department of Defense (DOD), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

NAEVR was formed in 1997 as an affiliated organization of the non-profit educational foundation Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR), which was founded in 1993. In 2013, the Alliances celebrated 20 years of leadership for vision research funding. Serving as the "Friends of the NEI," NAEVR/AEVR believe that NEI-funded research to save/restore vision has served to reduce healthcare costs, increase productivity, maintain independence, and improve the quality of life for all Americans.

In 2015, NAEVR's advocacy resulted in $18 million being awarded to vision researchers from the Vision Research Program (VRP) in DOD appropriations to address defense-related traumatic eye injuries-balancing the lingering impact of the sequester cuts on the NEI. Since FY2009 when Congress created the VRP as a result of NAEVR advocacy, vision researchers have received 71 grants totaling $56 million in awards.