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Organization of the National Committee for Research in Ophthalmology and Blindness was prompted by the four national ophthalmic organizations—the Section on Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association, the American Ophthalmological Society, the Association for Research in Ophthalmology, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology. The establishment of such a committee seemed desirable because of the increased funds available for research, the greater number of physicians and scientists devoting full time to research in this field, and the interest of certain lay organizations in transferring their major efforts to blinding disease.
In addition, it was recognized that there was a dearth of qualified ophthalmic scientists, both in the clinical and in the fundamental fields, and that public interest in blinding disease did not parallel the extreme needs in the area. It was further recognized that much research was required in the field of sensory devices and educational methods to benefit