How to use this list?

Click on a question below to go to the answer.

What is the Vision Rehabilitation list?
How do you post messages to the Vision Rehabilitation list?
I have subscribed to the Vision Rehabilitation list, but I haven't received any postings in my inbox.
How safe is this list? Am I being protected from viruses?
How can I send an attachment or share a document I've created?
How do I unsubscribe or change my e-mail address?
What is the difference between Standard mode and Digest mode?
What is the difference between regular and mime digest?
Netiquette
Notice

What is the Vision Rehabilitation list?

The Vision Rehabilitation list is an un-moderated e-mail discussion group for those interested in issues surrounding and related to low vision. The Vision Rehabilitation list belongs to you, the users, and will only be as valuable as you make it. Please feel free to send messages to the list as often as you like.

Subscribers to the Vision Rehabilitation list receive messages sent by list members via e-mail.

You can reduce the number of e-mails you receive by changing your mail setting to receive a digest version of the list. This setting allows you to receive a summarized message each day containing the content of that day's individual e-mails. You lose some of the immediacy of responding, but you save space in your mailbox.

How do you post messages to the Vision Rehabilitation list?

Please keep in mind that the Vision Rehabilitation list is dedicated to the discussion of topics related to vision rehabilitation. We encourage you to send questions and comments to the list as often as you like.

To post to the vision rehabilitation list:

Subscribe to the list if you have not done so already. After you subscribe, you will receive a confirmation email. You must reply to this email or you will not be subscribed to the list. After confirming subscription, send your message to: visionrehab@aaoforums.aao.org and our message will then be distributed to all Vision Rehabilitation list members.

Use a descriptive subject line. Many people decide whether they want to read a message based on the content of the subject line.

I have subscribed to the vision rehabilitation list, but I'm not receiving any e-mails in my inbox.

Your e-mail program's spam filter may be sending vision rehabilitation list e-mails into your "bulk or junk mail" folder instead of into your "inbox". Some e-mail programs allow you to change your filter preferences to redirect messages from specific lists into your inbox.

If you are unable to change your e-mail program's preferences, remember to check your "bulk or junk mail" folder often to keep abreast of activity.

How safe is this list? Am I being protected from viruses?

The visionrehab list allows you to send attachments via email.

Every attachment sent to the list is screened by anti-virus software before you receive it. However, this does not mean you cannot get a virus from someone subscribed to the list. If a subscriber is infected with a virus and responds directly back to you with an attachment instead of to the list, you may be infected. And while we take every precaution to prevent viruses from spreading by way of the list, viruses will continue find ways to adapt and attempt to outsmart screening software. Know that we will make every effort to continuously upgrade our virus protection software. Additionally, always follow these rules when dealing with email:

Do not open attachments or click on links to websites embedded in the body of mail from people you do not know.


Do not open attachments with the following file extensions: .exe, .visa, .vba, .pff or any other unfamiliar extensions. You can respond to an individual who sends you an unexpected attachment to verify that it is safe to open.


If you run into difficulties, contact the owner of the list by sending an e-mail message to visionrehab-owner@aao.org outlining the details of your problem.

Also, please note that the virus protection software may at times incorrectly identify a harmless attachment as a virus and strip it from the email before it is sent to the list. If you send an attachment to the list that is not a virus and gets stripped from the email please notify visionrehab-owner@aao.org.

How can I send an attachment or share a document I've created?

Add attachments as you normally would to your email and send it to the list.

How do I unsubscribe or change my e-mail address?

If you are on vacation or away from the office, you may wish to stop mail delivery to avoid filling your mailbox while you're away.

Use the form on the manage your settings page to stop mail delivery. When you are ready to receive mail again, you must come back to the manage page and re-start your mail delivery.

You can also change your email address, change your delivery format, or unsubscribe from this page.

What is the difference between Standard mode and Digest mode?

In Standard mode, you receive individual e-mails one at a time as they are sent.

In Digest mode, you receive summarized messages containing the content of several individual e-mails. You lose some of the immediacy of responding, but you save space in your mailbox.

What is the difference between regular and mime digest?

Regular digest mode delivers the day's posts to you in one email and the content of the posts are placed as text inside the body of the email.

Mime digest mode delivers the day's posts to you in one email and each post is sent as a text attachment in the body of the email.

Netiquette:

Be forthcoming in your messages about any potential financial conflict of interest.

If you repost something from another source, it is only ethical and helpful to give credit to the original poster along with the full citation. If you forward something from the vision rehabilitation list, make sure you give credit to the original poster and/or source.

Please DO NOT post any copyrighted material to the vision rehabilitation list unless you have acquired permission to do so from the holder(s) of the copyright.

Keep your messages short to conserve bandwidth and encourage others to read your messages; lengthy messages are not as inviting to readers as shorter messages.

Remember, no emphasis or emotional tone gets transmitted through e-mail. Jokes and sarcastic comments may be insensitive to others. Any criticism, personal attacks, and use of profanity are unwanted and will result in your removal from the vision rehabilitation list. You are responsible for what you post.

Notice:

Participants in the Vision Rehabilitation list are encouraged to use this forum for the free and uncensored exchange of ideas, information, critiques, and commentary. However, the nature of this forum is such that guidelines are necessary to protect your interests and those of your fellow list members:

1. Discussions by physicians and others who are not part of the same group practice regarding fees, acceptable reimbursement levels, or plans for collective economic actions (e.g., joint negotiations with or boycotts of third party payors or managed care plans, or decisions not to deal with particular types of providers) raise the risk of antitrust investigation and liability. This risk exists whether those discussions take place in a face-to-face meeting, by written correspondence, or through electronic communication.

In fact, the risk is even greater for the vision rehabilitation list discussions, since by definition a written record is made of the communication. Because this is an online forum, such discussions could not only put you at risk for antitrust liability it could implicate The Academy. Accordingly, you are asked to refrain from any discussions about (a) what is an appropriate amount to charge for a particular procedure, (b) whether particular reimbursement amounts are sufficient or insufficient, collective actions that might be taken if reimbursement are deemed to be insufficient, and (c) whether ophthalmologists should do business with other types of providers for economic reasons (e.g., optometrists who charge excessive co-management fees) via the list. One exception to this caution is that discussions about Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement policies are generally permissible as long as they do not lead to anticompetitive actions (e.g., a collective agreement not to treat Medicare or Medicaid patients).

2. Although staff attempts to maintain the security of the vision rehabilitation list by limiting participation to staff members and users, participants should not assume that the vision rehabilitation list discussions are confidential or privileged. To the contrary, comments made on the vision rehabilitation list could be forwarded to nonparticipants either by electronic or hard copy transmission. Moreover, electronic communications are often discoverable in court proceedings. This means that a plaintiff in a malpractice lawsuit might seek to discover vision rehabilitation list communications involving a particular defendant physician or a subject of relevance to the lawsuit. Such discovery efforts may well be successful. Therefore, participants should use discretion in their communications, particularly with respect to statements about their treatment of or contacts with specific patient or patients, or about the level of one's technical skills, that might later be used against you (or AAO member physicians) if litigation were every to ensue. Never mention a patient by name or give enough information that the patient's identity is revealed.

3. Participants should recognize that the vision rehabilitation list discussions are tantamount to participating in a public meeting. Disparaging comments about the skills or techniques of other staff members or physicians are no more appropriate in one context than the other. This caution is intended both to encourage professional decorum on the vision rehabilitation list and to reduce potential liability risks for participants and AAO.