Advocacy News

The Vermont legislature introduced a bill to expand optometry to include laser and incisional surgery and therapeutic injections.

Despite numerous communications, presentations, and meetings with the Utah Ophthalmology Society, the state’s Office of Professional Licensure Review has recommended optometric scope expansion to perform YAG and SLT laser surgery.

The state legislature has revived a bill that would expand optometric surgery. A committee hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9.

Veterans’ and military groups representing more than 2.5 million veterans, active duty and retired military personnel submitted statements to a key congressional subcommittee opposing the VA’s development of national standards of practice for optometry.

In a statement to a House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee the organization reiterated its longstanding support for eye surgery by surgeons and found veterans prefer physician-led health care teams when accessing care in VA facilities.

A year ago today, Gov. Gavin Newsom defended safe surgery by surgeons in California, but the fight will continue next year as more states consider optometric surgery.

Academy CEO Stephen McLeod, MD’s, testimony before the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health has helped put a spotlight on the Department of Veterans Affairs development of national standards or practice for optometry.

The American Optometric Association presented several misleading claims Tuesday during a hearing in the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health to examine the Department of Veterans Affairs’ plans to establish national standards of practice for health care professions in VA health facilities. We set the record straight.

Sidney Gicheru, MD, medical director at Laser Care Eye Center in Dallas, was one of the top three fundraisers for the Academy’s special Protect Veterans’ Eyesight initiative this year. He recruited more than 85 of his friends and colleagues to donate to help defend the highest quality surgical eye care that our veterans deserve. We asked what motivated him.

Academy CEO Stephen D. McLeod, MD, was among the leaders of organized medicine who testified Tuesday in Washington, D.C., to the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, arguing for surgery by surgeons in VA health facilities.