1 February 2017
Dear Colleague,
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the professional society for more than 30,000 ophthalmologists worldwide; like you, over 9,000 of our members reside outside of the U.S. We want you to know that recent travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. government on certain countries cause us deep concern.
Through the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, the umbrella organization for major U.S. specialty societies, we co-authored and support a statement opposing this travel ban that will be released later this week.
The Academy is devoted to advancing ophthalmic education so that patient eyecare continually improves. It is imperative that the global community of ophthalmologists can freely meet, share ideas and knowledge, collaborate on scientific research, and impart knowledge to the next generation of ophthalmologists.
Ophthalmologists in our global community are leading the fight to prevent blindness and vision loss around the world. We strongly believe that our diverse membership is integral to the Academy and to advancing our profession. We are monitoring this situation closely, advocating change in policy, and will communicate with you as needed.
Sincerely yours,
David W. Parke, MD
Chief Executive Officer |
Richard L. Abbott, MD
Secretary, Global Alliances |