As part of the federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Eye Institute’s mission is to “conduct and support research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to blinding eye diseases, visual disorders, mechanisms of visual function, preservation of sight, and the special health problems and requirements of the blind.”
Because of continued Congressional and public support, our national investment in vision research has led to major advances in the prevention and treatment of eye diseases and visual disorders. Read more about our advances.
The NEI budget is approximately $675 million (FY2014). The NEI budget requests are submitted to Congress with other NIH institutes as part of the President’s budget request in February. See our Congressional Justifications.
NEI was established on August 16, 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Public Law 90-489. Read more about our history.
The National Eye Institute (NEI) is a Federal Agency of the United States Government and is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as tax-exempt under 26 U.S.C. 501c(3). Contributions to the NEI are tax-deductible pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 170 Read more about making donations.