Inside AOA launches public awareness campaign, assists state

Ge
tt
he
lat
es
t
Volume 43
No. 21
May 23, 2005
at
ww
w.
ao
an
ew
s.o
rg!
AOA launches public awareness
campaign, assists state efforts
I
AOA leadership at the Spring Planning
Conference included Trustees Randolph E.
Brooks, O.D., and Peter H. Kehoe, O.D.,
President-elect Richard L. Wallingford, Jr.,
O.D., and Secretary-Treasurer Kevin L.
Alexander, O.D., Ph.D.
Plans afoot for
ambitious programs
A
s AOA ramps up
three ambitious
programs, AOA
President-elect Richard
L. Wallingford, O.D.,
described how AOA is
building on the successes of the past to meet
new challenges.
“We’re on the eve of
Inside
one of the most active
AOA years ever seen,”
he told attendees at the
Spring Planning
Conference last month
in St. Louis.
Among the major
events:
Optometry 2020, a
trio of profession-wide
meetings to answer critical questions facing the
profession. The first
meeting will be Aug. 4 6 in Dallas, with an
objective of getting consensus on “What can we
be in 2020?”
see Planning, page 11
Eye on Washington
Page 4
T
Industry News,
Page 17
ties at
Optometry’s
Meeting™ have
increased even
more in 2005 with
AOA offering an
Educational Theater during hours of the Exhibit
Hall, Thursday through
Saturday.
Funded by educational grants from five
organized ophthalmology is attacking optometry at every level, on
every issue. Children’s
vision. Oral medications. Co-management.
Surgery. Particularly in
the last year, the
American Academy of
have advanced in a matter of months, all aimed
at discrediting optometry and rolling back the
care that patients now
receive.
To combat these misleading attacks with a
positive message, and to
enhance optometry’s public image,
AOA has embarked
on the “largest public awareness campaign in the history
of our association,”
AOA Trustee Randy
Brooks, O.D., told
an audience at the
Spring Planning
Conference last
month.
The campaign
involves public
opinion research,
targeted media messages and on-theground assistance with
communications in some
states.
To fund the milliondollar campaign, the
AOA House of
Delegates will be asked
to approve a $60 per
To combat these
misleading attacks with
a positive message, and
to enhance optometry’s
public image, AOA has
embarked on the
“largest public
awareness campaign
in the history of our
association.”
Attend CE between
visits to exhibitor booths
he free educational
opportuni-
Glance at the States
Page 7
n spite of the benefits
patients receive from
optometrists expanding their scope of practice, the general public
needs to hear more
about how optometrists
help them.
“According to membership surveys and
longstanding
requests, enhancing
optometry’s public
image and recognition as a profession
has been among the
top priorities of
AOA members,”
said Wesley E.
Pittman, O.D., president of the AOA.
“Members have
been asking for
AOA to embark
upon a high level
public awareness
campaign to position optometry as the
primary eye care profession serving the public.
It’s clear that AOA
members want us to
spread the word about
improved availability,
extensive training and
professionalism.”
At the same time,
prestigious ophthalmic companies, the CE
courses at the
AOA
Educational
Theater will
offer nine
options presenting topics from ocular
surface disease to taxes.
For example, on
Thursday, June 23, 4:30 to
see Education, page 9
Ophthalmology has
amassed resources to
stop or initiate efforts in
states and at the federal
level that would stunt
expanded patient care
efforts by optometry.
Multi-million dollar
communications, lobbying, and PAC campaigns
see Campaign, page 10
2 • AOA NEWS
American
Optometric
Association
243 N. Lindbergh Blvd.
St. Louis MO 63141
800 365-2219
www.aoa.org
AOA Board
Wesley E. Pittman, O.D.
PRESIDENT
Richard L. Wallingford, Jr., O.D.
PRESIDENT-ELECT
C. Thomas Crooks, III, O.D.
VICE PRESIDENT
Kevin L. Alexander, O.D., Ph.D.
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Victor J. Connors, O.D.
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
TRUSTEES
Randolph E. Brooks, O.D.
J. Wayne Buck, O.D.
Dori M. Carlson, O.D.
Joe E. Ellis, O.D.
Peter H. Kehoe, O.D.
Carol D. Record, O.D.
AOA News Staff
www.aoanews.org
Bob Foster
EDITOR - IN - CHIEF
RAF OSTER @AOA. ORG
Bob Pieper
SENIOR EDITOR
RFP IEPER @AOA. ORG
Sean Hixson
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
SDH IXSON @AOA. ORG
Kim Stuckmeyer
ART DIRECTION
Stephen M. Wasserman
DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
SMWASSERMAN@AOA.ORG
Andrew Miller
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - PUBLICATIONS
AOA PUBLICATIONS
ALM ILLER @AOA. ORG
Advertising
Fox Associates
Email:
adinfo.aoa@foxrep.com
ATLANTA, GA 30342
1070 ONE PREMIER PLAZA
5605 GLENRIDGE DRIVE.
404-497-7690
CHICAGO, IL 60610
116 WEST KINZIE STREET.
312-644-3888
ROYAL OAK, MI 48067
WASHINGTON SQUARE PLAZA
306 S. WASHINGTON, STE. 222.
248-543-0068
LOS ANGELES, CA 90079
110 EAST 9TH STREET, SUITE A1173
213-228-1250
NEW YORK, NY 10016
347 FIFTH AVENUE, STE 1110.
212-725-2106
Change of address: Notify publisher at least six weeks in advance,
including both mailing label from the
most recent issue and the new
address with proper ZIP code. Acceptance for advertising for publications
does not constitute approval or
endorsement by the NEWS or AOA.
All advertising is subject to review for
acceptability by the AOA Communications Group. Acceptance and/or
publication of editorial material in the
NEWS does not constitute approval
or endorsement by the NEWS, or
AOA.
Frank files for president-elect
A
lan Frank, O.D.,
of Kingston, PA
has announced
his candidacy for AOA
president-elect.
Dr. Frank has been
in private practice for 29
years and presently
owns three optometric
practices.
One of those is the
Children’s Eye Center, a
pediatric eye care facility in northeast
Pennsylvania that provides primary eye care
mostly for children
under the age of 5 and
subcontracts the services of a pediatric ophthalmologist.
He has worked
extensively with under-
privileged children and
also with Alzheimer’s
patients.
For the past 20
years, he has been an
active member of his
local Jewish Community
Center’s Athletic Board.
He has also worked
with the Children’s
Service Center, which
identifies and treats
children with various
behavioral problems. He
is presently working
with his state representative to develop standards for pediatric eye
care. Dr. Frank is a
member of the John
Heinz Rehabilitation
Medicine Staff.
Over the past few
years, Dr. Frank has met
extensively with executives of local insurance
panels to educate them
on improving the quality of their vision care
products.
He is currently
working with a local
third-party payer to
develop a regional
model on early childhood professional eye
exams.
Dr. Frank has
served as a liaison
between optometry and
ophthalmology on
many issues. He has
also served as a member
of the Northeastern Eye
Institute Optometric
Advisory Board.
Alan Frank, O.D.
Bipartisan children’s eye
exam bill introduced
B
ipartisan legislation
for a $75 million
federal grant program to provide comprehensive eye examinations
for children, as well as
necessary follow-up treatment, has been introduced in Congress.
The Children’s Vision
Improvement and
Learning Readiness Act
of 2005 (H.R. 2238), was
introduced by Rep. Bill
Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) May 10
with 11 cosponsors—
including Republican
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
of Florida—and the support of AOA.
It comes in the wake
of new research by the
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
showing millions of children do not receive the
vision evaluations recommended by top health
care organizations, plac-
Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr.
(D-NJ)
ing them at greater risk
for permanent vision loss,
as well as physical and
emotional difficulties.
The proposed legislation is intended to supplement existing children’s vision programs
for identification and
treatment of vision
impairment, through a
system of grants to states
for eye exams and necessary follow-up care,
development and distribution of educational
materials on state children’s vision programs,
and efforts to ensure that
these new initiatives complement, not supplant,
services already provided
under Medicaid and
SCHIP.
Competing legislation, expected to be introduced shortly by Rep.
Vito Fossella (R-NY),
with the support of the
American Academy of
Ophthalmology, would
authorize federal support
for a program of eye
screenings for children—
a measure considered
inadequate by the AOA
Advocacy Group. Rep.
Fossella introduced similar legislation last year.
The bill has been
referred to the House
Committee on Energy
and Commerce.
Rep. Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
The NEWS (USPS 908-120) (ISSN 0094-9620) is published 18 times per year (two issues per month
except January, June, July, August, November and December) by the American Optometric Association,
243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141-7881. Subscription rates (effective October 15, 2004):
AOA-member optometrists $16 /nonmembers (U.S.) $93.50 /Canada $111/other foreign $120.
Periodicals postage-paid at St. Louis, MO and additional mailing addresses.
POSTMASTER Send address changes to NEWS, 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141-7881.
Views and opinions appearing in the NEWS are not necessarily endorsed by AOA.
Printed in the USA.
MAY 23, 2005 • 3
Eye on Washington
FTC sends 25 warnings
for FCLCA violations
T
he Federal Trade
Commission (FTC)
has already sent
more than 25 warning
letters to contact lens
sellers and prescribers
concerning alleged violations of the Fairness to
Contact Lens Consumers
Act (FCLCA), commission attorney Charulata
Pagar, J.D., reported during last month’s AOA
Congressional
Conference.
The Act, which
became effective in
February 2004, requires
eye care providers to
release prescriptions to
their contact lens patients
— and contact lens sellers to obtain or verify
prescriptions before dispensing lenses. The FTC
issued its Contact Lens
Rule last July detailing
exactly what contact lens
sellers and prescribers
must do to comply with
the law.
The FTC has sent
warning letters in
response to allegations
the sellers had shipped
lenses even though prescribers indicated that
the prescriptions had
expired.
The FTC has sent letters to prescribers citing
complaints that they
failed to release prescriptions to patients following completion of a contact lens fitting as
required under the law.
Pagar did not indicate how many complaints alleging violations of the FCLCA have
been received by the
FTC, but said a warning
letter could represent
more than one complaint.
Pagar did not indicate how many of the
warning letters were sent
to eye care practitioners
Changes to AOAAdvantage
mean big savings on interest
Time is running out for new AOA
graduates and spouses to lock in the lowest student loan interest rates in history.
Federal Stafford loan interest rates
are expected to increase up to 4.50 percent or more from their current rate of
2.77 percent by July 1, 2005. To consolidate loans with AOAAdvantage, call
(866) 408-5626.
If AOAAdvantage receives a completed consolidation application by June
30, 2005, AOAAdvantage will guarantee a lock-in of the lowest student loan
interest rates.
New graduates and spouses can
save thousands with enhanced
AOAAdvantage benefits:
Up to 2.75 percent Upfront Principal
Reduction * or
1 percent Interest Rate Reduction
after 33 months** and 0.25 percent
annual interest rate reduction for Direct
Pay.
Note: If you have already mailed in
4 • AOA NEWS
your application and it has not been
finalized, AOAAdvan-tage will automatically grant you these new benefits.
AOAAdvantage will calculate your savings in just a few minutes and complete
your application for you by phone.
*This upfront principal reduction program requires no qualification. Loans
under $24,999 will receive 1 percent of
the outstanding principal balance (OPB);
loans of $25,000-$59,999 will receive
1.75 percent of OPB; loans of $60,000
- $99,999 will receive 2.35 percent of
OPB; loans of $100,000-$124,999 will
receive 2.50 percent of OPB; and loans
greater than $125,000 will receive
2.75 percent of OPB.
**You must make 33 consecutive ontime payments. “On-time" is defined as
not being more than 15 days delinquent
in the qualification period. If you have a
deferment or forbearance during your
qualification period, the payment counter
will restart.
or how many were sent
to sellers.
The FTC has not yet
obtained any monetary
penalties for infractions
of the Rule. However,
the commission staff considers the warning letters
“a shot across the bow”
for sellers or prescribers
who may not be complying with the law.
“The Rule is still fairly new and the commission staff recognizes that
the industry is in the
midst of changing its
practices to comply fully
with the Rule,” Pagar
noted.
To assist eye care
practitioners and contact
lens retailers in complying with the law, the FTC
offers two documents,
“The Contact Lens Rule:
A Guide for Prescribers
and Sellers” and a list of
common questions and
answers about the law,
with both available
through the
Commission’s Web site
(www.ftc.gov).
Complaints on
automated
systems
Pagar did not indicate if any of the warning letters concerned the
automated voice messaging system used by one
of the nation’s largest
telephone and Internet
lens retailers, to request
prescription verifications
from eye care practitioners.
AOA Advocacy
Group staff has been
meeting frequently with
FTC personnel regarding
the use of automated
verification systems and
delivering hundreds of
complaints from AOA
members alleging
FCLCA violations by the
retailer.
AOA President
Wesley E. Pittman, O.D.,
has sent a letter to one
major retailer reflecting
AOA members’ complaints about the system
not complying with the
Fairness to Contanct
Lens Consumer Act
(FCLCA).
AOA Keypersons
even raised the failure of
certain automated verification systems to comply
with the requirments of
FCLCA as an issue on
Capitol Hill during last
month’s annual AOA
Congressional
Conference, urging lawmakers to ask the FTC
what the agency is doing
in response to the
mounting number of
complaints filed about
the system. So far, at
least two legislators,
Congresswoman Tammy
Baldwin (D-WI) and Sen.
Ben Nelson (D-NE) have
contacted the FTC.
The system has been
the source of widespread
complaints from eye care
practitioners who say the
telephone messages are
often difficult to understand and sometimes do
not provide enough
information to identify
the patient for whom
prescription verification
is being requested— all
violations of the FCLCA,
according to AOA
Congressional
Conference materials .
Pagar acknowledged
that “many prescribers
object to the use of such
automated telephone
systems.”
However, she also
said that FCLCA specifically authorizes contact
lens sellers to send verification requests by telephone. Because the term
“telephone” is commonly understood to include
automated telephone
see Warnings, page 5
Warnings, from page 4
systems, the commission
concluded that it would
be contrary to the intent
of Congress to prohibit
the use of such systems,
she said.
“The commission
cannot prohibit the use of
a means of communication that Congress
expressly allowed,”
Pagar said.
However, verification requests conveyed
by automated telephone
systems must include all
of the information
required under the FTC’s
Contact Lens Rule —
including patient’s full
name and address; contact lens power, manufacturer, base curve or
appropriate designation,
and diameter when
appropriate; the quantity
of lenses ordered; the
date of the patient’s
request; the date and
time of the verification
request and the name of
a contact person for the
seller with fax and telephone numbers.
Automated telephone messages must be
delivered in a “reasonable” volume and
cadence, Pagar said.
“If verification
requests are not reasonably understandable, the
commission staff would
not consider them to be
compliant with the
Rule,” Pagar said.
Contact lens prescribers have “eight business hours—not eight
hours” to respond to contact lens prescription verification requests, Pagar
said, emphasizing that
business hours are considered those between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m. in the
prescriber’s time zone,
excluding Sundays and
federal holidays.
Sellers can count any
regular Saturday hours
maintained by a practice
as part of the eight-business-hour response period—provided the seller
includes a statement not-
ing those weekend hours
in any verification
request sent to that practice, Pagar said.
Practitioners have
complained they are
sometimes blocked from
responding to verification requests by telephone lines which are
busy or through a Web
site which they find to be
still “under construction.”
Some practitioners
contend automated
response systems that
repeatedly fail to comply
with FCLCA requirements appear to represent a calculated effort to
discourage eye care
providers from responding to verification
requests, AOA
Congressional
Conference materials
note.
The FTC Contact
Lens Rule requires sellers
to provide “a reasonable
opportunity” for prescribers to respond to
verification requests,
Pagar noted.
“Many prescribers
would prefer to speak to
a live person,” Pagar
acknowledged.
“However, neither the
Act nor the Rule requires
sellers to have a live person available to respond
to calls, although sellers
may choose to do so.”
“If the prescriber has
left his or her response
on an automated
response system or on a
contact person’s voicemail and indicated that
the prescription is
expired or otherwise
invalid, the Rule prohibits the seller from
shipping the lenses,”
Pagar emphasized.
Pagar noted some
prescribers have also
complained about sellers
who do not confirm that
prescription verifications
have been received.
However, neither the
FCLCA nor the FTC
Contact Lens Rule
AOA members can file reports of Fairness to
Contact Lens Consumers Act violations with the FTC
through a link on the comprehensive page on the
AOA Web site (www.aoa.org/advocacy/fclca).
To help ensure the AOA Advocacy Group stays
abreast of issues related to the FCLCA, AOA members are asked to send copies of reports filed with
the FTC to AOA Washington Office, 1505 Prince
Street, Alexandria VA 22314; fax (703) 739-9497;
or ftccomplaint@aoa.org.
require such confirmation, Pagar said.
Reports
encouraged
The FTC encourages
eye care practitioners to
report any possible violations of the FCLCA, and
provides a toll-free telephone line and a Web
site to facilitate the
process, Pagar said.
However, those filing reports should offer
as much information
and documentation as
possible to indicate that a
violation has occurred,
she emphasized.
“If you are going to
file complaints, we
encourage you to give
details,” Pagar said.
The Commission
staff suggests that
reports include the exact
nature of the problem—
such as inability to reach
the party seeking verification as the result of a
busy signal or an inoperative Web site, the name
of the entity seeking verification, the time and
date of the incident, and
other pertinent details.
In the case of automated voice message
prescription verification
requests that are spoken
too quickly, cannot be
understood due to technical problems such as
static or disconnection,
or provide incomplete
information, evidence
such as an audiotape or a
recording left on an
answering machine
“would also be very
helpful,” Pagar said.
Above all, Pagar
said, complaints that
allege actual violations of
the law are the most useful to the FTC.
“Some of the complaints (received by the
FTC regarding FCLCA)
do not actually allege
violations,” Pagar said.
“For example, we
received one that just
said ‘I don’t like phone
calls.’”
OE TRACKER kiosk to debut
at Optometry’s MeetingTM
The Association of Regulatory Boards of
Optometry (ARBO) will be hosting an OE TRACKER
kiosk at Optometry’s MeetingTM in Dallas. The kiosk
will be located in the registration area from
Wednesday, June 22 to Sunday, June 26. ODs can
obtain their OE TRACKER number and have the OE
TRACKER card produced at the kiosk. The OE
TRACKER number will be required at the 2006
Optometry’s MeetingTM in Las Vegas.
The purpose of the OE TRACKER program is to
provide the most comprehensive verification of optometric data in the profession. It is designed to capture
continuing education attendance at educational meetings for transfer to the ARBO Web site for access by
both the doctor and the state boards of optometry in
order to verify attendance information needed for state
continuing education requirements for license renewal.
The OE TRACKER program is the first of its kind
for optometry and will integrate the following components.
All optometrists have been issued an individual
Optometric Education Card (OE TRACKER card).
Each card has a unique number, assigned by ARBO,
magnetic strip and bar code.
In registering for educational events, the unique
identification number will be used to link the doctor to
the courses being taken. Electronic “reader” units will
capture attendee information. After the educational
event, the data will be verified and exported to
ARBO’s Web site. The doctor can then access the
site, view the courses taken at various educational
events and print CE certificates.
For those visiting Optometry’s MeetingTM in Dallas,
please visit the OE TRACKER kiosk if you have not
received your card or if you have any questions. If
you are unable to attend, call (866) 869-6852 if you
have not received your card or have any questions.
MAY 23, 2005 • 5
Letters
Send letters to:
Editor, AOA News
243 N. Lindbergh
Blvd., St. Louis, MO
63141.
RAFoster@aoa.org.
AOA News
reserves
the right to edit
letters submitted
for publication.
Dear Members:
It is with great emotion that I withdraw my
name as a candidate for
AOA trustee. It has been
an honor and a privilege
to serve the AOA as
trustee and I thank you,
the members, for giving
me the opportunity.
The position of AOA
trustee is a demanding
one. There is work to do
seven days of the week.
There are reports to read,
emails to answer, presentations to develop and,
most importantly, there
is communication regularly with you and your
state association. These
activities are a function
of the day-to-day business of the AOA.
In addition to these
regular duties, challenging issues can arise that
demand an additional
amount of energy and
effort on the part of the
trustee. All of the duties,
though time-intensive,
have been enjoyable,
rewarding and interesting. I love the work.
But as you also
know, the AOA board
member is required to
travel a great deal. We
attend board meetings
and committee meetings.
We attend state, regional
and national meetings.
We visit optometry
schools and participate
in training meetings. We
visit with business leaders, regulators and legislators. The travel has led
me to places I have never
been before. Each trip
has been fun and has
provided its unique set
of memories. I cannot,
however, keep up with
the volume of this travel.
For me, the commitment to my family has to
be first and optometry
has to be second. And
right now my family
commitment makes the
required travel commitment to the AOA a real
hardship.
It is for this reason
alone I withdraw as a
candidate for AOA
trustee. I have offered
my services to the AOA
as a volunteer and hope
to leave the door open
for the opportunity to
serve on the AOA Board
again.
My tenure has been
one of the most rewarding experiences of my
life. The board is comprised of a very special
group of bright, dedicated individuals. They
have welcomed me from
my very first day on the
board.
We have gotten to
know each other as
brothers and sisters and,
in knowing them as
brothers and sisters, I
have come to love them
as family. Once again,
thank you for allowing
me to serve our profession in this manner.
Editor:
“Surprising results
from a nationwide clinical trial show that many
children age 7 through
17 with amblyopia may
benefit from treatments”
was the first line in an
article published in the
May 2, 2005 issue of
AOA News.
The only surprising
thing was the fact that
the writer was surprised
at the results.
Optometrists have been
curing amblyopia in
patients of all ages for
many years. Birnbaum,
Koslowe and Sanet's
article about this was
published in the
Academy journal in
1977!
Please don’t express
surprise when a future
article is written about
the effectiveness of
amblyopia therapy in 18
through 80-year-old
patients.
Carol D. Record, O.D.
AOA Trustee
Daniel Lack, O.D.
Lake Katrine, NY
TIG survey looks for your input
AOA needs your help as we strive to continue to
provide superior programs and services for all our
members. In an effort to provide services to those
members who may have an enhanced interest in various specialty areas of optometry, or who face challenges within their chosen practice settings, the AOA
is considering offering one or more new Topical
Interest Groups (TIGs).
Currently, the AOA offers two TIGs:
Children’s/Binocular Vision and Refractive Surgery.
TIGs exist solely in cyberspace, and they are offered
FREE to AOA members.
TIG members are entitled to avail themselves of
the following services, free of charge:
An online forum where members can discuss the
latest technologies and clinical information relative to
their area of interest;
A quarterly electronic newsletter;
An online member directory for networking.
Please help us determine member interest in new
TIG topics by completing our three item survey
(http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB224
BZ5RW5MV) on TIG preferences, by June 10, 2005.
If there are other programs or services you would like
to see AOA offer its members, please send them to
sdbrown@aoa.org or call Stephanie Brown at (800)
365-2219, ext. 225.
6 • AOA NEWS
Glance at the States
Level licensure passes in Kansas,
broadening debate
C
ontinuing what
the AOA State
Government
Relations Center (SGRC)
says could be a growing
trend, Kansas, beginning
in three years, will
require ODs to have full
prescriptive authority to
renew their license.
“We’re happy with
our bill,” said Kansas
Board of Examiners in
Optometry President
Sharon Green, O.D. “It
will ensure all Kansas
ODs are on the same
level of licensure, taking
four licensure levels
down to one.”
On April 7, Gov.
Kathleen Sebelius (D)
signed HB 2336 into law,
amending the existing
law regarding the licensure of optometrists.
Specifically, the bill
requires applicants for an
initial optometry license,
or current licensees
renewing their license for
the two-year period commencing June 1, 2008, to
be a therapeutic licensee.
The bill also requires
that applicants for a new
or renewal license for the
biennial period commencing June 1, 2010, be
both a therapeutic and a
glaucoma licensee.
Currently, Kansas
has four levels of licensure—1) non-prescriptive
authority, 2) diagnostic
prescriptive authority, 3)
therapeutic prescriptive
authority without glaucoma drugs, and 4) therapeutic prescriptive
authority with glaucoma
drugs.
According to the
AOA SGRC, the vast
majority of states continue to have at least three
levels of licensure: 1)
non-drug authority, 2)
diagnostic drug use only,
and 3) legend drug pre-
scriptive authority.
However, Kansas is
one of 15 states where
multiple levels of legend
drug prescriptive authority licenses are also possible — making four and
even five levels of licensure possible — something the SGRC strongly
discourages.
“This bill is great for
our patients,” explained
Dr. Green.
“No matter what OD
they visit, the patient
will be sure that
optometrist can treat
them to the full extent of
the law. Sometimes,
with pink eye for example, a patient could head
to an optometrist, find
out they’re not licensed
to treat, then be referred
to an entirely new
optometrist. This bill
saves the patient time
and money.”
According to the
AOA SGRC, level licensure has been somewhat
controversial, particularly among older licensees
and those optometrists
who do not practice fullscope medical eye care.
While aware of
potential controversy
with passing a level
licensure law, Kansas
saw little uproar.
“Most of the Kansas
ODs are progressive and
see how level licensure is
good for the profession
and for the patients we
serve,” said Dr. Green.
Seeing potential conflict with the level licensure issue, the AOA
SGRC has been exploring the issue for several
years.
To the credit of the
profession, no optometrist was ever “grandfathered” in and granted
prescriptive authority
without additional edu-
cation, training, or testing, explained the AOA
SGRC.
Some ODs, many of
whom strongly supported the legislative efforts,
elected to continue practicing without prescriptive authority, rather
than incur the expenses
and time needed to gain
authority.
Attempting to gain
insight into the level
licensure issue, the AOA
Advocacy Group gave a
presentation to the
House of Delegates at
the 2003 Optometry’s
MeetingTM in San Diego,
centering on whether
prescriptive authority
should be required for
license renewal—then
conducted an unofficial
survey of the delegates:
56 percent believed
that a license to practice
optometry should automatically grant prescriptive authority; 12 percent
said no; and 24 percent
said “Not now, but in the
future.”
60 percent felt the
state should pass a law,
or state board promulgate a rule, requiring
prescriptive authority for
license renewal.
64 percent believed a
uniform license within a
state would help gain
access as a participating
provider in managed
care plans.
58 percent felt that it
is not appropriate for
some ODs in a state to
hold prescriptive authority, while others do not.
The SGRC says that
if the level licensure
requirement is universally adopted, there would
no longer be optometrists, diagnostic
optometrists, topical
optometrists, topical and
oral optometrists, glau-
coma optometrists, etc.
There would just be
optometrists.
“This would not
eliminate the problem
that prescriptive authority varies somewhat from
state to state; however,
within a state all
optometrists would be
licensed to provide the
same services,” said
AOA SGRC Chair David
A. Cockrell, O.D. “If prescriptive authority is
required for license
renewal, those without it
would lose their license
to practice the next time
their license is up for
renewal.”
SGRC Executive
Committee member and
a past chair of the AOA
Licensure and
Regulation Committee,
Gary W. Lasken, O.D.,
agrees with Kansas and
Dr. Green, claiming that
one level of licensure
would benefit the
patient.
see Level, page 8
The state of state laws
Optometry is the only one of the four independent doctoral-level professions (with medicine, dentistry, and podiatry) where some practitioners hold
prescriptive authority and some do not.
With their law, Kansas became the sixth state to
pass a level licensure requirement, joining Illinois,
Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Oregon.
Beginning January 1, 2001, all North Dakota
licensees were required by board policy to hold prescriptive authority in order to renew their license.
Oregon required license renewers to have diagnostic authority beginning January 1, 2003. On
January 1, 2005, the state then required all license
renewers to have legend drug prescriptive authority.
Illinois will require certification to use or prescribe
legend drugs for renewal after January 1, 2006.
Oklahoma will require those renewing their
license after June 30, 2006 to hold legend drug prescriptive authority.
All Mississippi ODs renewing their license must
hold legend drug prescriptive authority by Dec. 31,
2006.
MAY 23, 2005 • 7
Level, from page 7
“How can the public
possibly know what an
optometrist can do within a state if some have
prescriptive authority
and some do not?” Dr.
Lasken said. “To make
this more confusing,
there may be more than
one level of prescriptive
authority within the
same state.”
At the same time,
the SGRC notes that a
good faith promise was
made to those
optometrists who supported the legislative
effort to gain prescriptive
authority, but who personally did not wish to
use or prescribe drugs, to
let them continue in
practice. “We cannot
and should not break
that promise,” said
Jerald. F. Combs, a past
chair of the SGRC during
the 2003 presentation to
the House of Delegates.
While some ODs in
the level licensure debate
say that optometrists
without prescriptive
authority must refer their
patient to another
provider for some procedures, possibly delaying
care and adding to the
MSCO/COA
CONFERENCE
Vistas
for a Changing Profession
A Continuing Education Program
for Optometrists
Snowmass Village at Aspen Colorado
July 14 - 17, 2005
TOP
Oliver • Pohl
H
C
T
O
N
TY Sowka • Wooldridge
L
U
C
FA
Mountain States Congress of Optometry/
Colorado Optometric Association
Conference & Exposition
Call, write, fax or e-mail for your free brochure to:
Registrar
1600 Broadway • Suite 1320 • Denver, CO 80202-4913
Tel: 303.863-9778 • Fax: 303.863.9775
E-mail msco@visioncare.org or visit www.visioncare.org
8 • AOA NEWS
expense for the patient,
others say that many
optometrists practice in a
group setting that facilitates easy referrals.
Putting optometry
on parity with the other
three independent doctoral-level provider
groups is a main goal of
level licensure, but opponents say that retirement
will eventually take care
of the different prescriptive authority levels
within the profession.
Managed care brings
a whole new element to
the argument.
“Many managed
care plans and multistate employers use the
fact that there are some
optometrists without
prescriptive authority, as
well as the fact that there
are multiple levels of
prescriptive authority
within a state, as a reason to keep optometrists
from participating in a
plan,” explained Dr.
Lasken.
Some argue that a
professional license is a
property right which
cannot be taken away
without due process.
However, Dr. Lasken
argues that due process
occurs in the legislative
or rule-making process
and to that end the
license of a practitioner
can be removed if he or
she does not meet legally
established renewal
requirements.
Every state legislature has the obligation
and the authority to
enact license and license
renewal requirements for
each profession —
designed to protect the
health and safety of the
public.
Can an optometrist
who does not have diagnostic and legend drug
prescriptive authority
practice at today’s standard of care level? And
is the public protected?
These questions are
at the center of this
debate.
Contact the AOA
SGRC at (800) 365-2219,
ext. 266.
One month and
counting…
Dick Schuck, O.D.
Exhibits Committee chair
Trinity Trails, a bit of the Old West within
sight of the Ft. Worth skyline. (Dallas CVB photo)
Education, from page 1
5:30 p.m., Alcon’s
“Contact Lens-Related
Ocular Surface Disease:
Cause and Cure” (T121)
will detail SPK, dellens,
phyctenular keratoconjunctivitis, and other surface problems. Lecturer
Art Epstein, O.D., defines
and explains problems
and their remedy.
On Friday, June 24,
10:30 to 11:30 a.m., AO
Sola’s “Progress
in Progressives:
Changes in PAL
Design and What
They Mean”
(T221), goes into
how eye care
professionals
want to give
their progressive
patients the most satisfying visual experience
possible.
Lecturer Mary
Eastwood, O.D., shows
how recent developments in vision science
allow us to define, design
for and measure patient
satisfaction in progressive lenses, while demonstrating that progress in
progressive lenses is real
and ongoing.
Immediately following is AO Sola’s “The AR
Advantage” (T222).
Lecturer Dr.
Eastwood will explore
the performance and
awareness issues that
have hindered AR in the
past and how new developments help the patient.
On Friday, and on
Saturday, The Spectacle
Lens Group’s “Advances
in Progressive Lens
Optics and Coatings”
(T223 and T321), lectured
by Kenneth Scherick,
O.D., provides an in-
depth review of progressive lens optics and coatings that are available by
prescription for presbyopic patients.
Information to be
discussed includes new
optical designs, lens
metrology, and advancements in lenses.
Even later on Friday,
3 to 4 p.m., AMO’s
“Refractive Surgery
Options and
Management”
(T224), lectured
by James
Thimons, O.D.,
does its best to
ensure the highest level of
patient care is
the primary goal
of the O.D. in refractive
surgery. This course will
review both the “pitfalls”
and “pinnacles” of the
constantly changing
arena.
On Saturday, June 25,
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,
“CooperVision’s Dry Eye
and Contact Lenses”
(T322), is lectured by
Jennifer Smythe, O.D.
Both by subjective
complaint and physical
findings, the contact lens
patient with a dryness
complaint differs significantly from the true dry
eye patient.
This one-hour course
reviews literature related
to contact lens-associated
dryness and offers strategies for managing
patients through optimal
choices of lens care material and wearing.
To view a complete
Educational Theater
schedule and register,
visit www.optometrysmeeting.org.
Optometry’s Meeting™ has always had a lot
to offer members and now it is offering even
more. Today, the exhibit hall is one of the highlights
of Optometry’s Meeting™ in that, as Optometry’s
Meeting™ has grown, so have the number of
exhibitors and the size of the exhibit hall.
In our exhibit hall, you can find everything that
is needed to practice optometry in today’s
demanding world. You can find anything from the
newest and most innovative equipment to reference
books and services. If you want it, we have it.
We have some new events and raffles in this
year’s exhibit hall and thousands of dollars worth
of giveaways. On Thursday, June 23, we are
having a Hoya Vision Care sponsored International
Wine and Cheese reception from 4 to 7 p.m. On
Friday, June 24, 4 to 6 p.m., we have an “Eye
Didn’t Know That Beer is a Buck,” with domestic
bottles of beer for just one dollar, sponsored by
Transitions Optical.
Furthermore, we have new raffles this year.
Hoya is giving away one Philips 42” HD-ready,
plasma TV each day the exhibit hall is open.
Money to Burn is back and even better—we are
raffling more than $15,000 of cash and moneysaving coupons in the exhibit hall each day.
Don’t forget our usual exhibit hall crowd
pleasers, the Marchon lunch coupon (good for
Friday and Saturday), and the raffle for a trip to
Paris to attend SILMO. We will also be raffling one
round-trip ticket on American Airlines to anywhere
in the domestic United States or parts of Europe.
AOA has sponsored its share as well with the
bingo card giveaway. You could win a suitcase
packed full of travel essentials. A special monetary
drawing for students and paraoptometrics will take
place each day in the hall.
By filling out your Attendee Survey — coming
via email directly after the meeting — you could
also win a free trip to Las Vegas to attend the 2006
Optometry’s Meeting™.
As you can surely see, there are plenty of
opportunities to win great prizes again this year.
Be sure to stop by the AOA booth (#1022),
where AOA staff and volunteers will fill you in on
the important happenings at the AOA and send
you off with a commemorative pin…a hot collector’s item for some! Also, don’t forget to stop by
booth #541 for your free and stylish Optometry’s
Meeting™ t-shirt sponsored by Vistakon.
The VisionWeb Cyber Café (#1337) is located
in the exhibit hall as well. Say hello to VisionWeb
representatives and feel free to surf the Internet or
check your email.
Exhibitors have invested a lot of money for the
privilege of being in the exhibit hall, and the AOA
and AOSA appreciate their support. Stop by and
thank the exhibitors for their continued support at
Optometry’s Meeting™. While you are at it, purchase some needed items and help make this hall
the best buying exhibit hall in the industry. See you
in Dallas.
MAY 23, 2005 • 9
Campaign, from page 1
member rolling dues
assessment at
Optometry’s MeetingTM
in June.
“We will be evaluating the program on a
continuing basis and
AOA members will
have an opportunity to
discuss its goals and
accomplishments each
year,” Dr. Brooks said.
Ophthalmology’s
rhetoric has included
commentary that
optometry is putting
patient health at risk,
citing “a growing range
of medical care” such as
FASTForce: Optometry’s
rapid response team
The Federal and State Task Force on
Ophthalmology (FASTForce) was appointed by
AOA President Victor J. Connors, O.D., last June.
The members of FASTForce are: Drs. David Mills
(chair), David Cockrell, Harvey Hanlen, Dorothy
Hitchmoth, Steven Loomis, Christopher Quinn, and
Don Williamson, Norman Johnson, Dale Lervick,
Daryl Mann, and Roger Seelye.
The scope, function, and purpose of the
FASTForce is:
Developing a positive and progressive
response to the American Academy of
Ophthalmology’s (AAO) attack on the profession of
optometry;
Gathering information for helping determine
AAO’s future actions and objectives;
Developing a progressive program for assuring
the profession of optometry continued respect and
enhancement as a primary health care profession;
Identifying the State areas where optometry is
weakest and most vulnerable to ophthalmology
and developing an action plan to defend those
areas;
Identifying the Federal areas where optometry
is weakest and most vulnerable to ophthalmology
and developing an action plan to defend those
areas;
Developing an offensive strategy and plan where
we can proactively take the fight to ophthalmology at
the federal and state levels, either to achieve additional victories for optometry and/or to divert ophthalmology and put them on the defensive (this can
include appropriate use of state and federal agencies
such as: attorneys general, Federal Trade
Commission, National Eye Institute, etc.);
Developing an action plan and ongoing network to gather necessary intelligence on what ophthalmology might be planning in the future; and
Any other ideas that the FASTForce deems necessary or advisable as ongoing measures to protect optometry and allow for rapid response to
attacks from ophthalmology.
10 • AOA NEWS
prescribing drugs, diagnoses and surgery.
“Organized ophthalmology also has
made it clear that they
want to not only stop
optometry’s progression
of patient care, but turn
back the clock in some
areas,” Dr. Brooks said.
“All this in spite of
the fact that ophthalmologists know full
well that optometrists
have the education,
training, and expertise
to provide these services
to patients and have
been doing so for
years.”
Dr. Brooks told
AOA News that AOA
members invariably ask
for an expanded public
relations program when
he visits state association meetings. Lately,
that interest has intensified, as AOA members
see derogatory and
inflammatory messages
planted by ophthalmology in the media.
“We saw ophthalmology coming on fast
and strong,” said AOA
President Wes Pittman,
O.D. “We knew we
could not just sit by and
do nothing about it. We
knew we needed our
own experts who could
lead proactive communications to ensure
everyone from patients
to legislators appreciated optometry’s qualifications and how
patients benefit.”
Last fall, with significant input and feedback from the states,
and after intense study
by the FASTForce
(Federal And State Task
Force, see related story)
of optometry’s relationship with ophthalmology, the AOA Board of
Trustees decided optometry needed a multiyear, national campaign
to positively position
the profession and
counter widespread
misinformation by ophthalmology.
After a thorough
search, the board settled
on international public
affairs and public rela-
tions firm Hill &
Knowlton.
Hill & Knowlton
was recognized as having been named the top
public affairs firm in the
United States for seven
years running.
The board also
found H&K’s efforts on
behalf of other clients
showed measurable
results in areas such as
media and legislative
strategy, media influence, attitude and
behavior change, and
impact for an organization. Likewise, the firm
established what would
be benchmarks for the
AOA, such as key messages and informational
materials and actions to
influence reputation and
legislative outcomes.
“Hill & Knowlton is
widely acclaimed for its
ability to conduct a targeted national campaign
that smartly positions a
profession above the
fray,” said AOA
President-Elect Richard
Wallingford, Jr., O.D.
“They came to us
with the right strategy
and the right team of
people with deep
media, positioning,
political and health care
experience. It also was
clear that H&K immediately embraced optometry and thoroughly
schooled themselves on
our issues.”
Beginning in
January, Hill &
Knowlton embarked on
a major effort to establish the foundation and
key actions for a national campaign. The
majority of the work is
centered on proactive
positioning of optometry, while at the same
time working to anticipate and respond to
actual state and federal
legislative issues as they
occur.
Efforts began with
an analysis of organized
ophthalmology’s marketing and outreach
efforts, as well as how
other health care professions have handled
opposition to natural,
patient-motivated
expansion.
Scientific research
also measured consumers’ reactions to
positive, proactive
optometry messages
that H&K developed,
and also quantified the
public’s reaction to antioptometry messages
coming from organized
ophthalmology.
“The research piece
has been critical to
everything else we do,”
said Communications
Group Director Steve
Wasserman. “We’ve
been able to calibrate
our campaign and messages to best tell our
story. At the same time,
these messages serve as
the foundation for all
we do and say.”
Proactive national
and regional media relations efforts to spread
the messages of optometry include a “virtual
news bureau” by which
H&K pitches a topical
story each month.
Examples include
vision and nutrition,
computer vision syndrome, or low vision.
H&K also responds to
media inquiries. Efforts
have led to coverage
such as:
U.S. News & World
Report
Smart Money
Yahoo News
Forbes Online
CBS Market Watch
Hill & Knowlton
also has assisted with
editorial responses to
direct attacks by ophthalmology.
Optometry’s position appeared in major
media such as the
American Medical News,
Washington Times,
American Legion Dispatch
and Albuquerque Times.
Direct state outreach
and support has played
a big part in the campaign in these early
months, as state legislatures have been busy
considering ophthalmic
legislation. State legislative analysis, along with
see Campaign, page 11
Campaign, from page 10
Planning, from page 1
communications and
legislative questionnaires to the states,
established key needs
and issues.
Based on those findings, Hill & Knowlton
conducted direct outreach to, or consultation
with, nine states on legislative issues related to
scope of practice.
Five additional
states received more
involved strategic and
tactical support given
their expressed interest
in receiving support, the
immediacy of issues,
affect on the profession,
and ophthalmology’s
direct attacks.
“By working directly with a number of
states on scope of practice issues, Hill &
Knowlton is establishing best practices, key
messages and core
materials in these
areas,” said State
Government Relations
Committee Chair David
Cockrell, O.D.
“Everyone benefits
when we block or slow
ophthalmology’s antipatient efforts in one
state so it’s not used
against optometry in
another state. Everyone
benefits when another
state legislature affirms
optometry’s qualifications. And every state
ultimately will face
some of the same issues
and stand to benefit
from the work being
done now.”
Via a Web board
established for the state
optometric associations’
presidents, presidentselect, and executive
directors, H&K is providing state legislative
materials and monthly
media editorial materials for the states to pitch
locally. Core media articles about the profession also are being posted at this site.
Based on states’
feedback, a general
optometry brochure and
a series of toolkits are in
development and being
posted as completed.
These resources serve as
Dr. Wallingford said
questions that will be
discussed at the meeting
will include, “What will
the scope of our practice
be?”, “What equipment
and technology will we
be using?,” and “What
will our education consist of?”
The second summit
will be to determine
“What we want to be in
2020” and the third
summit will answer the
question, “How do we
get to where we want to
be?”
Calling it the
“largest public awareness campaign in the
history of AOA, in
response to members’
interest in raising
awareness of the exceptional high quality work
optometrists do,” and to
blunt attacks from
national organized ophthalmology, Dr.
Wallingford assured
attendees that “AOA
will take the high road,
working with one of thelargest, most respected
public affairs/public
relations firms— Hill &
Knowlton—to tell the
world who we are.” (See
story, page 1)
Describing
InfantSEE™ as the “best
guides in areas such as:
Optometry:
Foundation for general
positioning and materials related to the profession of optometry;
Media relations:
Working with and
reaching out to the
media;
State legislative:
Reaching out to state
legislators and tracking
stances on legislation
Community relations: Speaking in the
community;
Issues tool kits:
Materials related to
scope-specific legislative
areas.
“A tremendous
amount of work already
has been done to get the
word out about optometry,” said Dr. Pittman.
“With the support
of members, this campaign can continue to
lay the groundwork for
greater appreciation and
understanding of the
profession. At the same
time, we can be in a better position to address
unfounded attacks by
ophthalmology. We
know ophthalmology
won’t go away, and we
need to continue optometry’s advocacy on
behalf of patients.”
national public health
campaign ever implemented by optometry,”
Dr. Wallingford noted
that “amblyopia numbers are unacceptably
high, and so are the
number of infants/children in need of proper
care.”
“The program will
also make Americans
realize importance of eye
examinations at all
ages.”
A “Mega Advocacy
Meeting” to develop
strategies for advancing
the profession that
include various aspects
of AOA.
“State legislation
activity is intertwined
with federal legislation,
and both intertwined
with public health
throughout the community,” said Dr. Wallingford. “We want to ensure
groups within AOA are
also intertwined.”
Among others, AOA
invitees will include the
State Government
Relations Center, the
Federal Government
Relations Center,and the
Healthy Eyes Healthy
People™ . committee.
More guests: state optometric associations and
various organizations.
Let your winning hands help out AFVA
The American Foundation for Vision Awareness
(AFVA) is holding a Texas Hold-Em Tourney fund
raiser at Optometry’s MeetingTM to benefit the organization.
Thursday, June 23, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m., hold
your pocket aces and pull a flush on the river as you
offer your best, give-nothing-away poker face. All
proceeds will go to the AFVA.
Single players may enter for $75, while a table
of eight may be purchased at the discounted rate of
$550 per table.
This is a multi-round, timed, elimination tournament. Chips left over as each round expires may be
used to purchase raffle tickets for prizes. The overall winner will receive the grand prize of two nights’
lodging at the Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort
during the 2006 Optometry’s MeetingTM.
There are a limited number of openings, so
AFVA urges card sharks to act fast.
Among the organizations that have purchased
full tables and extended challenges to other regional
and affiliated associations to do so are: the
Optometric Extension Program Foundation (OEPF),
the Southwest Council of Optometry (SWCO), and
the Ohio Optometric Association.
The American Foundation for Vision Awareness
(AFVA), formerly the Auxiliary to
the American Optometric
Association, is an entity of the nonprofit American Optometric
Institute. The organization has
been in existence since 1927 and
since that time has developed programs and campaigns to promote
optometry to the public.
The mission of the organization is to educate people of all ages about their
vision and to create awareness of quality eye and
vision care and to support vision-related scientific
research.
The deadline for registration is June 6. Online
reservations can be made through May 30 using
the AOA Optometry’s MeetingTM registration at
www.optometrysmeeting.org. After May 30,
please contact Debra Fox at (800) 365-2219, ext.
226.
MAY 23, 2005 • 11
AOA-PAC again eyes $1 million-plus goal
T
he AOA Political
Action Committee
(AOA-PAC) raised
a record $1.13 million
during the 2004 election
cycle, committee chair
John Breiwa, O.D.,
reported during the
recent AOA
Congressional
Conference.
The new record represents an increase above
the just over $1 million
raised by AOA-PAC during the 2002 election
cycle. AOA-PAC’s record
fundraising effort came
during a period of unparalleled demand for PAC
dollars by candidates
campaigning for the US
Senate and House of
Representatives.
Thanks to the generous support of AOA
members, AOA-PAC’s
ability to support prooptometry candidates
and meet this increased
demand was strengthened in 2003 and 2004.
However, looking
ahead to the 2006 election
cycle, the role of AOAPAC will become even
more important to the
effort to ensure that
optometry’s concerns are
heard in Washington,
DC.
As attacks from ophthalmology and organized medicine have
intensified at the national
level, AOA members
have responded from
coast to coast with
increased awareness and
activism.
Thanks to a strong
AOA-PAC and an organ-
AEA
CRUISE SEMINARS
Gulf of Alaska, 7/2/05 – 7/9/05, Island Princess. Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway,
Glacier Bay, College Fjord, Whittier (Anchorage). Cruise fares from $1499. Speaker:
Dr. Kirk Smick
✧✧✧Independence Day Week✧✧✧
Eastern Canada/New England, 7/2/05 – 7/9/05, Holland America msMaasdam. Montreal,
Quebec City, Saquenay Fjord, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Sydney, Halifax, Bar
Harbor, Boston. Cruise fares from $1181. Speaker: Dr. Paul Ajamian
✧✧✧Independence Day Week✧✧✧
Baltic Heritage, 9/2/05 – 9/12/05, Star Princess. Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg,
Tallinn, Gdansk, Warnemunde, Helsingor, Copenhagen. Cruise fares from $1590. Speaker:
Dr. Louise Sclafani
✧✧✧Labor Day Week✧✧✧
Greek Isles, 9/11/05 - 9/23/05, Grand Princess. Venice, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Katakolon, Athens,
Mykonos, Kusadasi, Rhodes, Santorini, Naples, Rome. Cruise fares from $2140. Speaker:
Dr. Robert Wooldridge
Southern Caribbean Explorer, 1/28/06 – 2/4/06, Golden Princess. San Juan, St. Thomas, St.
Kitts – Nevis, Grenada, Caracas, Aruba, San Juan. Cruise fares from $699.
Eastern Caribbean, 2/18/06 – 2/25/06, Caribbean Princess. Ft. Lauderdale, St. Thomas, St.
Maarten, Princess Cays (Bahamas), Ft. Lauderdale. Cruise fares from $869.
OSU Optometry Alumni – plan on joining fellow alumni on this fun-filled “Buckeye” cruise.
*** Presidents Day***
Hawaii, 02/18/06 – 02/25/06, NCL Pride of America. Honolulu, Hilo, Mt. Kilauea, Kahului (Maui),
Kona, Nawiliwili (Kauai). Cruise fares from $1099.
***Presidents Day***
**Regional and past passenger fares may apply. CALL FOR LOWEST CURRENT FARES.
BOOK EARLY!!! CRUISES ARE SELLING OUT 6-8 MONTHS IN ADVANCE.
10-12 hours of COPE-approved lectures per seminar
E-mail us at aeacruises@aol.com and we’ll send an electronic information packet,
or call us at 1-888-638-6009.
AEA Cruises: Dr. Mark Rosanova, President
More than a travel agent, your colleague & innovating partner in Cruise Seminars since 1995
Sponsored by: The Illinois Optometric Association,
The Chicago Northside Optometric Society, and Advanced Eyecare Associates
12 • AOA NEWS
ized and active grassroots effort, AOA
derailed ophthalmology’s
legislative campaign to
turn the clock back on
optometry’s gains. “We
must continue to be a
very formidable force in
Washington if we are to
be effective advocates for
eye and vision care,” Dr.
Breiwa added.
Priority issues
Although effective
advocacy in Washington,
DC, has always been a
top priority, it will be
particularly important in
2005.
Congress and
Federal agencies are considering several AOA priority issues, including
Medicare physician payment reform and updates
to the 2003 Medicare
reform bill, overhaul of
the Medicaid program,
regulation of decorative
contact lenses, children’s
vision legislation and the
inclusion of optometrists
in the National Health
Service Corps and other
key government health
initiatives.
Also, at the insistence of the AOA and
pro-optometry members
of Congress, the Federal
Trade Commission is
now reviewing official
complaints about patterns of violation of the
2003 contact lens prescription verification law
by certain contact lens
marketers.
With so many challenging issues on the
horizon, it is essential
that AOA-PAC be at full
strength. That’s why
every AOA member will
be contacted over the
next few weeks and
urged to participate in
AOA-PAC‘s 2005
fundraising effort.
AOA-PAC has established several goals for
the drive, which Dr.
Breiwa believes are realistically achievable and
could together keep the
AOA-PAC war chest at
least on a par with grow-
ing campaign spending
levels, as well as with
other health care organizations, including several
with an anti-optometry
agenda:
An average AOAPAC donation of $110
(up from around $100
now);
Increased membership in the AOA-PAC
Capitol Club (formerly
called LIFE);
Increased membership at a dollar a day or
$365 per year;
Contributions from
at least 50 percent of all
practicing AOA members
(up from 32 percent
now).
In addition, he said,
AOA-PAC is attempting
to better educate AOA
members on the role they
can play in the AOA
Advocacy Group’s
Washington lobbying
and grassroots efforts, as
well as AOA-PAC activities—including the selection of candidates that
AOA-PAC supports.
Two of the AOA
members most active in
those endeavors—AOA
Keyperson of the Year
Roger L. Jordan, O.D., of
Wyoming and AOA-PAC
Representative of the
Year Thomas L. Lim,
O.D. —were honored at
the AOA Congressional
Conference.
The PAC’s role
In line with federal
campaign law, AOA-PAC
is a federally registered,
independent entity,
established by the AOA
Board of Trustees under
the umbrella of the AOA
Advocacy Group. AOAPAC’s mission is to not
only raise and contribute
money for campaigns of
candidates seeking federal level office, but to also
raise the awareness of the
importance of political
activism.
AOA-PAC is the
only PAC working at the
federal level to elect prosee PAC, next page
CMS clarifies rules on IOLs
PAC, from page 12
optometry candidates for
Congress. The candidates selected to receive
campaign contributions
from AOA-PAC are chosen on the basis of criteria established by the
AOA-PAC Board, including, whenever possible, a
demonstrated record of
support for optometry
and legislation related to
eye and vision care.
AOA-PAC devotes
its resources exclusively
to candidates for the U.S.
Senate and House of
Representatives. (AOAPAC supports neither
candidates for U.S. president nor state-level candidates.)
The AOA-PAC campaign war chest is developed entirely through
donations from AOA
member optometrists.
(Corporate contributions
are prohibited by law for
use in conjunction with
federal elections and
AOA-PAC uses contributions of this sort to defray
some limited administrative expenses.)
Virtually all of the
money raised by AOAPAC over the 2004 election cycle was allocated
to candidate campaigns,
leaving only a small balance brought forward for
the 2006 campaign cycle,
Dr. Breiwa said.
To make AOA-PAC
support more convenient, AOA-PAC has, for
the past several campaign cycles, solicited
contributions via telephone—a measure
which, Dr. Breiwa said,
has been well received
overall. “A few minutes
spent responding to the
AOA-PAC’s call over the
coming weeks is probably the most convenient
and practical way for the
average practicing
optometrist to help
ensure a strong voice for
optometry’s issues on
Capitol Hill,” Dr. Breiwa
told AOA News.
“We hope that when
AOA members receive
the call from AOA-PAC
over the next few
weeks, they will take a
few minutes from their
busy practices to speak
with us,” Dr. Breiwa
said.
Dr. Breiwa said he
hopes for a day when
all 30,000 AOA members are AOA-PAC contributors, as well as
grassroots activists.
For information, visit
www.aoa.org/advocacy/
AOAPACFacts.asp
NEW!
Medicare will now allow cataract patients to
have new presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses
implanted, provided they are willing to pay the difference between the cost of those new, more expensive
IOLs and Medicare’s standard reimbursement for conventional artificial lenses.
“Health care providers generally have not offered
Medicare beneficiaries presbyopia-correcting IOLs
because the costs of the advanced technology was
more than Medicare’s reimbursement,” CMS stated.
For more information, see the CMS Web site at
www.cms.hhs.gov/spotlight-technology.asp. View the
CMS Ruling (No. 05-01) at www.cms.hhs.gov/rulings/.
®
OCuSOFT
LID SCRUB
EYELID
FOAMING CLEANSER
From The Leader in Eyelid Hygiene
OCuSOFT® Lid Scrub Foaming Eyelid
Cleanser dispenses a pre-lathered foam
immediately upon depressing the control
tip. OCuSOFT® Lid Scrub Foaming Eyelid
Cleanser effectively removes oil, debris,
and desquamated skin associated with
problem eyelids. This exciting new delivery
system is economical and improves patient
compliance.
Instant Foam Liquid
Remember, OCuSOFT® Lid Scrub also
improves contact lens wearer comfort
and may be used to remove cosmetics.
For More Information Or To Order Call
800-233-5469
www.ocusoft.com
e-mail: ocusoft@ocusoft.com
Convenient
Pre-Moistened Pads
Also Available
MAY 23, 2005 • 13
National Provider Identifiers now available
T
he federal government today (May
23) begins accepting applications from
health care providers
and other entities for
standardized identification numbers which,
under a government
plan to encourage
greater administrative
efficiency in the nation’s
health care system, will
eventually be required
on claim forms for all
public and private
health plans.
Required under the
Health Insurance
Portability and
Accountability Act
(HIPAA) of 1996, the
National Provider
Identifiers (NPIs) will be
10-digit numeric identifiers (with nine numbers
and a “check digit” in
the tenth place)
designed to replace the
myriad identification
numbers now assigned
to health care providers
by various public and
private health insurers
for use on their claim
forms.
The NPIs are specif-
Interested in jump-starting your
career? Don’t miss AOA’s New
Practitioner practice management
course at Optometry’s Meeting™ in
Dallas on June 25, 2005. You can
attend for free since course fees are
paid in advance from a generous
grant given by CIBA Vision, A
Novartis Company.
Attendees of this fast-paced program receive information about topics such as debt management, negotiation tips, contracts, leases, financing, billing and coding, technology,
compartmentalizing and networking
the practice.
Also included:
• Complimentary buffet lunch
• Attendance prizes
• Optometry’s Career Center®
(OCC) Update
• Women’s Issues in Optometry
Panel
Register for course #0310 at
www.optometrysmeeting.org
Or for additional information,
contact LDSmith@aoa.org
or 1-800-365-2219, extension 151.
14 • AOA NEWS
ically designed for use
in a new standardized
electronic claims format,
known as the “standard
transaction,” which
health plans and
providers will be
required to adopt under
HIPAA.
“The use of the NPI
will improve the
Medicare/Medicaid
programs and other
Federal health programs
and the effectiveness
and efficiency of the
health care industry in
general, by simplifying
the administration of
the health care system
and enabling the efficient electronic transmission of certain health
information,” the U.S.
Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services
(CMS), the federal
agency charged with
issuing the identifiers,
assessed in a statement
on the project earlier
this year.
“We urge health
care providers to apply
for an NPI beginning on
May 23, 2005,” CMS
Administrator Mark B.
McClellan, M.D., said in
a letter announcing the
availability of NPIs to
health care providers
this month.
“Health care
providers” specifically
includes individual
health care practitioners
such as medical doctors,
dentists and
optometrists, as well as
hospitals and larger
health care providers,
under the final rule
issued by CMS to implement the NPI program.
Any provider who
transmits health information electronically in
connection with any of
the standard transactions is required under
that rule to obtain an
NPIs, even if the
provider uses a business
associate, such as a
billing agency, to prepare transactions.
Many health plans,
including Medicare,
Medicaid, and private
health insurance issuers,
as well as all health care
clearinghouses will be
required to accept and
use NPIs in standard
transactions by May 23,
2007. Small health plans
will have until May 23,
2008.
“After those compliance dates, health care
providers may use only
their NPIs to identify
themselves in standard
transactions, where the
NPI is called for,” CMS
emphasized.
Although required
by the government only
for electronic transactions, NPIs will essentially become the standard form of identification for health care
providers on paper
claims as well, meaning
even health care
providers who do not
file claims electronically
will probably have to
obtain NPIs, the AOA
Advocacy Group notes.
Health care
providers and plans can
apply for NPIs starting
today online at the
National Plan and
Provider Enumeration
System (NPPES) at
https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov.
Applications for
NPIs will be accepted in
writing or by telephone,
beginning in July.
Organizations representing or employing
health care professionals
(such as health professional associations or
hospitals, respectively)
will be able to submit
applications on behalf of
their health care
providers in an electronic file, beginning this
fall, but only with permission of those health
care providers.
Health care
providers should apply
for an NPI using only
one of the ways
described above, CMS
emphasizes.
“You may receive
notices about the NPI
from many of the health
plans with which you
do business. Remember
that you need apply
only once for an NPI.
The same NPI is used
for every health plan,”
the CMS letter to health
care providers notes.
Applications require
Social Security numbers,
federal employer identification numbers, and
other information that
must be entered correctly, the agency also
emphasizes.
The application
form contains a Privacy
Act Statement, which
explains how CMS may
disseminate the information collected in the
application.
Once an NPI has
been assigned, health
care providers should
safeguard the identifier,
CMS emphasizes.
Once issued, NPIs
will never expire, he
said.
Health care
providers should not
begin using NPIs
prior to compliance
dates unless health
plans have issued specific instructions to do
so.
Healthy Vision Month features student
awareness of low vision rehabilitation
T
he AOA’s Low
Vision
Rehabilitation
Section has begun its
second round of visits to
the schools and colleges
of optometry, presenting
the LVRS Student
Educational Awareness
Program to coincide
with the NEI’s May
Healthy Vision Month’s
theme “Promoting
Independence through
Vision Rehabilitation.”
This program is
generously sponsored
by Optelec Inc., “with
the goal of encouraging
optometry students and
recent graduates to consider low vision care
and rehabilitation as a
viable, fulfilling practice
option,” said Annette
Fasnacht, Optelec president.
The program was so
successful in the 20022004 cycle, that Optelec
renewed the grant for
another two-year period.
LVRS Chair-Elect
Tracy Williams, O.D.,
hopes that “each of the
19 schools and colleges
of optometry will schedule another visit from
the LVRS Council to
provide a low vision
rehabilitation program
which gives great
insights to future practice, involvement, and
opportunities to help
people with vision
loss.”
James Bailey, vice
president of sales at
Optelec, provides onsite support, promoting
student membership in
the AOA LVRS.
In many of the
optometry programs,
the LVRS Council meets
with administrators and
faculty to share insight
related to curriculum
issues on low vision –
the science, the art and
the practicalities.
Section Chair Susan
Gormezano, O.D., said,
“the Student
Educational Awareness
Program led to the firstever joint symposium
between the AOA LVRS
and the American
Academy of
Optometry’s Low Vision
Section, during
Academy 2004, called
“Low Vision
Rehabilitation and
Optometric Education:
Curriculum Concept
Exchange” moderated
by Stanley Woo, O.D.,
University of Houston,
College of Optometry.
On the evening of
April 7, 2005, Dr.
Gormezano presented
the program at Indiana
University School of
Optometry, along with a
pizza dinner.
Tom Blackman, the
Indiana region distributor from Optelec attended and brought heatsensitive mugs with an
Amsler Grid melting
into the phrase “Low
Vision Specialists are
our Visionaries.”
Student membership in AOA LVRS is
also sponsored by
Optelec, Inc., at these
events.
The program was
coordinated by Julia
Ferguson, president of
IU AOSA, with the help
of faculty, including
Ellie Kollbaum, O.D.,
and Sean Knaak, O.D.
Dean Gerald Lowther,
O.D., greeted Dr.
Gormezano.
The National Eye
Health Education
Program (NEHEP)
theme, and its relationship to AOA’s Healthy
Eyes Healthy People™
program, was
explained, and NEI “See
for Yourself Brochures”
in English and Spanish
were distributed to the
students, along with
several of the related
videos to faculty members.
On the morning of
IU students attending the program last
month display mugs and the NEHEP “See
for Yourself” booklets.
April 11, 2005, Dr.
Gormezano presented
“Assisting in Low
Vision Rehabilitation” to
the Optometric
Technology Program
associated with the IU
School of Optometry.
This time a “Healthy
Eyes” breakfast, including fruits and vegetables
rich in anti-oxidants,
lutein, and lycopine,
was served.
The presentation
featured nutrition, tips
on patient rapport, pretesting, chair-side assisting and recording,
basics on familiarization
and verification of low
vision prescriptions, and
visual aids and techniques to help the
optometrist train
patients in effective use
of low vision devices.
In a note to Dr.
Gormezano from Dr.
Elaine Rivron, I.U.
Optometric Tech.
Program faculty, she
wrote, “I hope it will be
possible to make this an
annual event…
Programs like this help
the optometry students
and the practicing
optometrists to have a
greater appreciation for
the range of contributions a paraoptometric
technician can offer a
practice. Melding them
(optometrists and technicians) in the low
vision field, seems to be
a great opportunity.”
Dr. Tracy Williams
was hosted by SCCO
faculty members
Rebecca Kammer, O.D.,
and Doug Williams,
O.D., on April 19.
About 100 optometric students were
inspired by Dr.
Williams’ passion and
dedication promoting
low vision rehabilitation
as an important “treatment modality” recognized by the NEI and
needed by so many in
America.
Dr. Williams
encouraged the students
to get involved with the
AOA LVRS and take
advantage of low vision
rehabilitation education
at SCCO.
Educators or administrators who would like
to schedule the LVRS
Student Educational
Awareness Program for
the 2005 – 2006 school
year may consider afterclass or in-class programs for the Low
Vision Course.
Contact Stephanie
Brown, LVRS Manager
at (800) 365-2219, ext.
225, or sdbrown@aoa.org.
MAY 23, 2005 • 15
Industry Profile:
HOYA
Advanced Medical
Optics, Inc.
Alcon Laboratories, Inc.
Allergan
Bausch & Lomb
CIBA Vision Corporation
CooperVision
Essilor of America, Inc.
HOYA
Luxottica Group
Marchon Eyewear, Inc.
Signet Armorlite, Inc.
TLC Vision Corporation
Transitions Optical
Vision Service Plan
VisionWeb
Vistakon
HOYA Corporation is a diverse technology company driven by innovation to meet the needs of customers around the world. HOYA’s commitment to innovation has resulted in consecutive years of positive
financial performance throughout the company’s entire
history.
HOYA was originally established in the 1940s as
a specialty manufacturer of advanced optics technologies. The company continues to grow as a global
enterprise through the expansion of diverse business
activities, which encompass electro-optics, photonics,
vision care, health care, and crystal products. HOYA
technologies are used in many well known consumer
brands such as the Apple IPod, Toshiba laptop computers, cell cameraphones, and even Tiffany crystal.
Today, HOYA’s worldwide presence has expanded to 59 divisions in 29 countries with 2,983 employees. Hoya Corporation achieved approximately $3.1
billion in net sales in 2004, a 13.5 percent increase
over the previous year. HOYA’s worldwide headquarters for Vision Care is located in Amsterdam,
Netherlands, with North American headquarters based
in Lewisville, Texas.
HOYA’s North American Vision Care division has
a very bright future with the acquisition of 17 prescription laboratories coupled with achieving organic product growth over the past six years. The success of progressive designs using HOYA’s proprietary Integrated
Transmittance Control Technology (ITCT) like HOYALUX
GP Wide, HOYALUX Summit ECP, and HOYALUX
Summit CD continue to drive market share gains.
HOYA’s anti-reflective coating brand, Super HiVision, has also set a new standard in anti-reflective
coating performance, with more than twice the scratch
resistance of the leading brand. Super Hi-Vision also
has a hydrophobic top-coating called ViewProtect that
provides an easy-to-clean feature desired by most
patients. ViewProtect will be available as an add-on
feature to a variety of other anti-reflective coatings from
HOYA Full Spectrum laboratories.
HOYA also has some unique lens material advantages that differentiate them from other manufacturers.
One example is the HOYA PHOENIX lens material.
HOYA PHOENIX is a Trivex based material that is
safe, tough, light and clear. HOYA PHOENIX meets or
exceeds the FDA impact resistance standards and has
high tensile strength, making it ideal for rimless frames
and for kids. Additionally, HOYA PHOENIX is so light
that it almost floats in water, which makes it very comfortable to wear. Most importantly, HOYA PHOENIX
provides outstanding visual acuity noted by an exceptionally high 43-45 clarity rating (ABBE value) versus
28-30 for a typical polycarbonate lens.
HOYA Corporation has a strong history of innovation in technology, and is positioned well for future
growth. HOYA Corporation will continue to maximize
its corporate value for the benefit of all stakeholders in
the company in accordance with the following corporate mission: “We will pursue creativity and innovation
in the fields of information technology, health care, and
lifestyle refinement, and contribute to creating a truly
prosperous society, while promoting harmony among
mankind, society, and nature.”
Industry Profile is a regular feature in AOA News
allowing members of the Ophthalmic Council to
express themselves on issues and products they
consider important to the members of AOA.
16 • AOA NEWS
CIBA touts CL data
CIBA Vision says data from the A.C. Nielsen
Company reveals rapidly expanding demand for all
types of silicone hydrogel contact lenses, stimulated
by continuing new product introductions.
For the bi-monthly reporting period ending in
February 2005, audited U.S. retail sales of silicone
hydrogel lenses increased by 161 percent over the
same period the previous year, driving total soft
contact lens sales up 12 percent. Silicone hydrogels
accounted for 19.4 percent of soft lens retail sales,
compared to just 8.3 percent in January/February
2004.
CIBA Vision says since its introduction of
O2OPTIX™ in September 2004, silicone hydrogel
contact lenses have gained approximately two
share points per bi-monthly period of total soft lens
sales.
The continuous wear segment of the silicone
hydrogel market also continues to expand rapidly,
up 41 percent in retail sales during the first two
months this year.
CIBA Vision continues to be the market share
leader in silicone hydrogel contact lenses with a 56
percent share of retail sales during the reporting
period. The company’s O2OPTIX brand has
already established a major position in the twoweek silicone hydrogel sphere segment, capturing a
23 percent share in January/February.
“CIBA Vision is tremendously excited by these
latest audit numbers, which validate our projections
of the emerging dominance of silicone hydrogel
lenses,” said Karen Gough, president of the
Americas for CIBA Vision.
The new frameless Sport Metals: Draft,
Thresher and Lash from Costa Del Mar take
rimless design to a new level. Costa Del Mar’s
Draft (above), named after the depth of water
a ship draws, is the largest sunglass style in
the collection. Featuring a soft rectangular
shape, Draft comes in two spectacular frame
color combinations, including satin gunmetal
with either gray or blue mirror lenses, or petro
blue frames with either gray or amber lenses.
Visit www.costadelmar.com.
Read more at www.AOANews.org
Industr y News
VisionWeb
updates, expands
V
Luxottica unveils
Sun Center 2005
Luxottica will feature its popular sunwear brands
together with “a wide variety of outstanding benefits
designed to increase sunwear sales and raise practice profitability” in the newly launched Sun Center
2005. Luxottica created the Sun Center concept in
2000. It is now in place in over 2,000 vision care
practices nationwide.
“Luxottica has created a totally comprehensive
and proprietary sunwear program that makes it
incredibly easy for the vision care professional to
gain the benefits of steadily rising sunwear sales,”
says Vittorio Verdun, director of marketing for
Luxottica. “Sun Center 2005 offers all the elements
necessary to make a practice a serious source of
plano and prescription sunwear among fashion-conscious consumers.”
With Ray-Ban, as the featured brand in the Sun
Center program, other prestigious Sun Center collections include Revo, Killer Loop, Persol, Arnette,
Vogue, Brooks Brothers, Donna Karan, DKNY, AK
Anne Klein, Adrienne Vittadini, Versace and others.
In addition to these leading brand names and
designer collections, Sun Center 2005 includes professionally designed displays for maximum impact;
three educational and informative consumer
brochures (choosing quality sunwear; the features
and benefits of polarized lenses; and the importance of protective sunwear for children); motivational signage, countercards, and banners; and a
high-impact Ray-Ban recall postcard. Two exciting
consumer gifts with purchase complete the program.
“Luxottica Sun Centers are proven profit builders
in a professional practice,” says Vittorio Verdun.
“Practitioners who are participating in the program
are enjoying increased sunwear sales and higher
profits all year round.”
Call Luxottica directly at (800) 422-2020.
isionWeb, the online service to help eye care
providers streamline and simplify their practices,
has improved functionality to its spectacle lens
ordering engine.
Initiated in April, the improvements will continue
to be rolled out over the next several months; the initial
improvements focus on speed and performance. The
result is online product ordering made even faster, easier, and more efficient for eye care practitioners.
VisionWeb says its “smart ordering engines” continuously check orders for accuracy when users are entering data. In this new software upgrade, error checking
is maintained while speed is increased up to five
times—a noticeable improvement, especially for members who place many orders and those using a dial-up
connection.
Additionally, New Era Optical Company, a
provider of optical supplies since 1912, has joined
VisionWeb’s extensive network of suppliers that
includes more than 160 optical laboratories, frame manufacturers, and contact lens providers.
“New Era Optical Company and VisionWeb strive
to serve our customers with greater online efficiency
using the latest technology. Our common goal is to provide efficiencies to eye care practices when ordering
online,” said Mike O’Malley, vice president of business
development at VisionWeb.
Herb Natkin, president of New Era said, “We are
pleased to join VisionWeb, because it supports our goal
to provide eye care professionals with the highest level
of service.” Visit www.visionweb.com.
Paul G. Howes, president of Bausch & Lomb
North America (left) delivers the first
PureVision™ trial lens set to Rochester, NY,
optometrist Michael DePaolis, O.D. The company’s innovative silicone hydrogel lens will be
available in the United States once again, following the recent successful resolution of a
patent dispute. “The PureVision lens design
provides wearers exceptional vision, health
and comfort, whether the lenses are removed
each day or worn 30 days straight, including
overnight,” said Howes. Eye doctors across the
U.S. soon will receive the sets, containing a
range of PureVision lens prescription powers,
to help fit their patients. More information is
available at www.purevision.com.
MAY 23, 2005 • 17
Calendar
Fax 252/ 237-9233
nceyecare@aol.com
www.wvoa.com
June 3-5, Embassy Suites
Myrtle Beach, SC
June
ANNUAL MEETING
OREGON OPTOMETRIC
PHYSICIANS ASSOCIATION
Wayne Schumacher
503/ 654-5036 or 800-9222045 FAX 503/ 659-4189
oopa@assomgt.com
oregonoptometry.org
June 2-4, 2005
Salishan Lodge & Golf Resort
Glenden Beach, OR
Got an item you want
listed here and on
AOANews.org? Drop an
email to
EventCalendar@aoa.org,
or call 800 365-2219,
ext. 258.
UTAH OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION
Clive E Watson, E.D.
801/364-9103
801/364-9613 Fax
uoa@xmission.com
www.utaheyedoc.org
June 2-5, 2005
The Canyons Resort, Park City
Utah
ANNUAL CONVENTION
OPTOMETRY ASSOCIATION
OF LOUISIANA
Teche' Doyle
318/ 335-0675 or 888/ 3880675 Fax 318/ 335-0677
optla@bellsouth.net
June 2-5, 2005
Hyatt Hotel New Orleans, LA
NORTH CAROLINA
OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION
Sue Gardner
252/ 237-6197
Start planning: Call for 2006
Optometry’s MeetingTM courses
Start planning now to present at the 109th
Annual AOA Congress & 36th Annual AOSA
Conference: Optometry’s Meeting™, June 21-25,
2006, Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center,
Las Vegas, NV.
The Continuing Education Committee of the
American Optometric Association is pleased to
invite submissions of optometric, paraoptometric,
and optometric student education courses at the
2006 Optometry’s Meeting™ beginning May 9,
2005. Continuing Education courses will be held
from June 21 through Sunday, June 25, 2006.
Courses submitted should cover a wide variety
of ophthalmic topics. All abstracts must be submitted via online submission by July 29, 2005.
To submit a course, please visit the AOA Web
site, www.aoa.org, and click on the “2006 Call for
Courses” icon. Inquiries can be e-mailed to: continuing-ed@aoa.org.
Submissions must be completed by July 29,
2005 for consideration. Notification of selected
courses will be e-mailed to all applicants in early
Fall.
18 • AOA NEWS
ANNUAL OCULAR DISEASE
UPDATE
NORTHEASTERN STATE
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF
OPTOMETRY
Lisa McCormick
918/ 456-5511 x4033
Fax 918/ 458-2104
mccormil@nsuok.edu
http://arapaho.nsuok.edu/
`optometry
June 3-5, 2005
Branson, MO
SUNDAY CE PROGRAM
MARYLAND OPTOMETRIC
ASSOCIATION
Megan Holmes
410/ 752-3318
410/ 752-8295 FAX
moa@assnhqtrs.com
www.marylandeyes.com
June 5, 2005
BWI Marriott
MIDDLE ATLANTIC CONTINUING EDUCATION CONFERENCE AND ANNUAL CONVENTION: VIRGINIA
OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION
June 9-12 Williamsburg
Marriott, Williamsburg VA
Bruce B Keeney, Sr.
804/ 643-0309
804/ 643-0311
VOAEyeDocs@aol.com
www.voaeyedocs.org
20TH JOINT CONFERENCE
ON THEORETICAL AND
CLINICAL OPTOMETRY, “The
Role of Development and
Optometry in the Human
Genome: Are Genes all that
Matter?” Sally Corngold
949/ 250-8070
smcorngold@oep.org
www.oep.org
June 9-13, 2005
Pacific University
SUMMER CONFERENCE
MAINE OPTOMETRIC
ASSOCIATION
207/ 626-9920
207/ 626-9935 FAX
MOA.Office@
MaineEyeDoctors.com
www.MaineEyeDoctors.com
June 10-12, 2005
Atlantic Oakes Resort,
Bar Harbor, Maine
SUMMER CONFERENCE
ALASKA OPTOMETRIC
ASSOCIATION
Lauren Caraghar
907/ 770-3777 or
877/ 693-2562
907/ 272-7532 FAX
akoa@alaska.com
www.akoa.com/
education.dbm
June 10-13, 2005
Alyeska Prince Hotel and
Resort; Girdwood, Alaska
LEADERSHIP RETREAT
MISSOURI OPTOMETRIC
ASSOCIATION
Zoe Lyle
573/ 635-6151
573/ 635-7989 FAX
moopt@socket.net
www.moeyecare.org
June 10-12, 2005
Country Club Hotel,
Lake Ozark, MO
CONTACT LENS PROGRAM
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY
Susan Atkinson,
714/ 449-7442
714/ 992-7809 FAX
satkinson@scco.edu
www.scco.edu
June 12, 2005
Southern California College of
Optometry
COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL
LOW VISION CARE
LIGHTHOUSE
INTERNATIONAL
Cathy Czeto OD
212/ 821-9487
212/ 821-9705 FAX
cczeto@lighthouse.org
www.lighthouse.org/ce
June 14-16, 2005
Lighthouse International, 111
East 59th St., NY, NY 10022
OPTOMETRY'S MEETINGTM
AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC
ASSOCIATION
Meetings Department
243 N Lindbergh Blvd.,
St. Louis, Missouri 63141
314/ 991-4100 x214,
254, 251, 256 or 255
Fax 314/ 991-4101
www.optometrysmeeting.org
200 hours of Continuing
Education
June 22-26, 2005
Dallas, TX
July
NATIONAL OPTOMETRIC
ASSOCIATION 37TH
ANNUAL CONVENTION,
Houston, TX July 12, 2005 July 17, 2005 J.W. Marriott on
Westheimer by the Galleria.
Contact: Dr. Charles Comer /
Meeting Planner, 3723 Main
Street, Box F, East Chicago,
Indiana 46312 http://natoptassoc.org/
AEA CRUISE SEMINARS
Sponsors: Illinois Optometric
Association, Chicago
Northside Optometric Society,
Advanced Eye care Associates
Gulf of Alaska July 2-9, 2005
Island Princess: Vancouver,
Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway,
Glacier Bay, College Fjord,
Whittier (Anchorage) Dr. Mark
Rosanova, President
888/ 638-6009
AEA CRUISE SEMINARS
Sponsors: Illinois Optometric
Association, Chicago
Northside Optometric Society,
Advanced Eye care Associates
Eastern Canada/ New
England July 2-9, 2005
Holland America ms
Maasdam: Montreal, Quebec
City, Saquenay Fjord,
Charlottetown, Prince Edward
Island, Sydney, Halifax, Bar
harbor, Boston Dr. Mark
Rosanova, President 888/
638-6009
AEA CRUISE SEMINARS
Sponsors: Illinois Optometric
Association, Chicago
Northside Optometric Society,
Advanced Eye care Associates
Mediterranean July 2-9, 2005
MSC Opera: Barcelona,
Marseille, Genoa, Naples,
Palermo, Tunis, Palma,
Barcelona Dr. Mark Rosanova,
President 888/ 638-6009
AEA Cruise Seminars
Sponsors: Illinois Optometric
Association, Chicago
Northside Optometric Society,
Advanced Eye care Associates
Eastbound Transatlantic
Crossing July 2-9, 2005
Cunard QM2: New York to
Southampton Dr. Mark
Rosanova, President 888/
638-6009
FLORIDA OPTOMETRIC
ASSOCIATION FOA Annual
Convention July 19-24, 2005
The Loews S Miami Beach, FL
Kellie Webb 800/ 399-2334
kellie@floridaeyes.org
http://www.floridaeyes.org
NORTHERN ROCKIES
OPTOMETRIC CONFERENCE,
Sponsored by the Idaho,
Montana and Wyoming
Optometric Associations, July
21-23, Snow King Conference
Center, Jackson Hole, WY.
Contact: Dan Lex, 307/6377575. www.nrocmeeting.com
IOWA OPTOMETRIC
ASSOCIATION OKOBOJI
OPTOMETRIC MEETING July
22-24, 2005 The Inn,
Okoboji, IA Chris Halsten
515/ 222-5679
chrish@iowaoptometry.org
multi-subject
fax: 515/ 222-9073
www.iowaoptometry.org
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
OPTOMETRIC SOCIETY’S
TAHOE SEMINAR, EMBASSY
SUITES RESORT, South Lake
Tahoe, July 29 - 31, 2005,
Call (800) 988-9894 for
group rate. For seminar registration, call (916) 447-0270
or e-mail jerrysue13@comcast.net.
Ad Showcase
“Take a Hike–Buddy!”
At the Northern Rockies Optometric Conference in beautiful
Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we encourage all our attendees in
an inviting way to “take a hike”, or bike, go whitewater
rafting, flyfishing, golfing or just take a drive in our park/s.
(Grand Teton & Yellowstone)
Speakers:
Dr.
Dr. Michael DePaolis
Dr.
Dr. John McGreal
Dr.
Dr. Jerome Sherman
Dr.
Dr. Leonid Skorin
For more information about our
18 hour doctor program, exhibits,
and paraoptometric program, in
beautiful Jackson Hole, Wyoming
scheduled for July 21-23, 2005,
please contact us at:
Northern Rockies
Optometric Conference
716 Randall Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001
Ph: 307/637-7575
Fax: 307/638-8472
www.NROCmeeting.com
FREE CPA Case Studies
10 Ways ODs Are Reducing Taxes
Our savvy clients know the best way to
reduce next year’s taxes is to let us start
working with their practice today. It doesn’t
cost you any more to start early, yet it
gives us the time to implement all the tax
savings strategies you are entitled to.
Currently serving ODs in 27 states
With an OD client base that has doubled
every year for the last three years, our
firm of 18 CPAs has developed the
nation’s largest tax and accounting
practice for independent optometrists.
We know optometry.
Your first consultation is FREE
You are invited to call or e-mail Ken Hicks,
CPA, to request a FREE consultation to tell
us about your tax and accounting needs.
Or, for more information on our special
service for ODs, just ask for a FREE copy
of ‘OD Tax Solutions’ Case Studies.
In Conjunction With
Hayes Consulting
Business Advisors To Optometrists
601.636.0096
Real cases.
Real results.
‘OD Tax
Solutions’
Case Studies— FREE!
Find out how May &
Company has resolved
tax problems and
created innovative
business solutions for
our optometry clients.
Just call or e-mail to
request your copy of
‘OD Tax Solutions’.
Here’s a sample:
Converting from accrual
to cash accounting
Negotiating with an
adverse partner
Examining tax issues of
buy/sell agreements
Call today
for your
FREE copy!
odtaxservice@maycpa.com
Presented by:
Office of Continuing Optometric Education
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY
3200 South University Drive • Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida 33328
For more information:
Shakara Rosenbaum, B.A., Coordinator
Office of Continuing Optometric Education
954.262.4224 or email at ocoe@nsu.nova.edu
http://optometry.nova.edu/ce
August 21, 2005
Glaucoma Update
Sponsored by Nova Southeastern University
College of Optometry through
educational grants provided by Alcon Pharmaceuticals
and Vision Service Plan.
MAY 23, 2005 • 19
Ad Showcase
To be a Vitreo-retinal Specialist at
Geisinger, you’ll have to leave a lot behind.*
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
EDUCATIONAL RETREAT
August 5-7, 2005
Geisinger
Health System:
●
provides full medical
malpractice and tail
coverage
●
includes two acute
care hospitals, 42
community medical
offices, a dedicated
research center and
Life Flight ® air
ambulance service
●
is interconnected
with a network of
primary care and
tertiary/quaternary
specialists via EPIC
electronic health
record
●
offers 75 medical
and surgical
specialties and 25
accredited residency
and fellowship
programs
(*Like malpractice costs, job instability and
declining reimbursements.)
Geisinger Medial Center in Danville, Pennsylvania,
seeks a medical or surgical Vitreo-retinal Specialist to
join our large, hospital-based Ophthalmology
department, which includes 11 Ophthalmologists,
5 Optometrists, a full-time Ophthalmic Photographer,
a residency program and 6 satellite offices. The
successful candidate will be board-certified/eligible
in Ophthalmology and fellowship-trained in retina.
A career at Geisinger allows you to practice leadingedge medicine while enjoying an enviable lifestyle.
Danville and the surrounding area offers excellent
schools from daycare to colleges and universities,
affordable homes in safe neighborhoods, and a wide
variety of recreational activities and cultural and
entertainment events, all just an afternoon’s drive from
New York City; Washington, DC and Philadelphia.
If you are looking for a solid career with a financially
stable healthcare organization and a better quality of
life for your family, we’d like to speak with you.
www.geisinger.org/docjobs
To learn more about
careers at Geisinger,
contact Randy Keister,
Geisinger Dept. of
Professional Staffing,
rlkeister@geisinger
.edu
rlkeister@geisinger.edu
or call Randy at
1-800-845-7112
1-800-845-7112.
Heal. Teach. Discover. Serve.®
EOE/M/F/D/V
Visit the AOA
Web site
at
www.aoa.org
PRETESTING 4 LESS
The Motorized OT-2000 Saves time and
space while streamlining your screening
area. Its small 48” diameter will hold 4
instruments, rotates 360 degrees, and
qualifies for the ADA TAX CREDIT.
It’s What The Best
Pretest On!
800-522-2275
www.Optinomics.com
E-mail:
Sales@Optinomics.com
Fort Myers, Florida
www.
sanibel-resort.com
Education
Transcript Quality - 6 Hours • Continuing Education - 9 Hours
Total Hours 15 • 10 Hours Cope Approval Requested
Program / Speakers
Paul Ajamian, O.D., FAAO & Louis Catania , O.D., FAAO
Joseph Sowka, O.D., F.A.A.O. &
Barry Frauens, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Aids Update
Ron Foreman, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Optometric Jurisprudence
Joseph Sowka, O.D., F.A.A.O. &
Barry Frauens, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Medical Errors
Michael Wesson, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Paraoptometic Speaker
Information
Registration
Prior to July 10, 2005
A.O.A members - $330
Non-members - $430
••••••
After July 10th add $50
to ALL registrations.
Hotel Reservations: Toll Free - 1-800-767-7777
Brad Middaugh, O.D.
6360 Presidential Ct., Suite #5
Fort Myers, Florida 33919
Phone: 239-481-7799
Fax: 239-481-3739
E-mail: swfoa@att.net
FULL-TIME FACULTY POSITION AVAILABLE
The University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of
Optometry, Department of Optometry, invites applicants for a faculty position available Summer 2005.
This position is nontenure-earning at the rank of
assistant professor or associate professor, or for the
exceptional candidate, professor.
Applicants for this position in the Department of Optometry
must possess the Doctor of Optometry degree and have completed an ACOE accredited residency program in primary eye care or
ocular disease. Evidence of an ability to develop in the area of
patient care and research is important. The successful candidate
will have teaching responsibility in both the clinic as well as
classroom and teaching laboratories. In addition, this position
entails modest activity in research or other scholarly activities.
A curriculum vitae, statement of clinical teaching and research
interest, and names and addresses of three professional references should be sent to:
Jimmy D. Bartlett, O.D.,
Interim Chair, Department of Optometry
School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham
1716 University Boulevard, Birmingham, Al 35294-0010
Applications will be accepted until June 1, 2005
For further information, call Dr. Bartlett at (205) 934-6764
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is an Affirmative
Action Equal Opportunity Employer
20 • AOA NEWS
University of Houston College of Optometry
SUMMER 2 0 0
5
05
CONTINUING EDUCATION
CHOOSE FROM ONE OF THESE EXCITING LOCATIONS!
CE IN LAS VEGAS
June 10-12, 2005
12 D/T hours of Live of CE available
+ 4 D/T Recorded Media Hours Available on CD-Rom
TREASURE ISLAND RESOR
T
Las Vegas, NV
CE IN THE ROCKIES
July 7-10, 2005
16 D/T hours of CE available
ROCKY MOUNTAIN PARK HOLIDAY INN
Estes Park, Colorado
HOUSTON CONCENTRATED
OCULAR THERAPEUTICS
COURSE
Open Rank Fixed-Term
Position/Optometrist
An Optometric position is available
in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. The position is fixed-term starting at the
level of Clinical Assistant Professor/
Associate Professor/Professor depending upon qualifications. Prerequisites include graduation from
an American School of Optometry
and licensure or eligibility for licensure to practice in the state of North
Carolina. Qualifications are clinical
expertise, a strong commitment to
teaching and residency training,
excellent patient care skills. This
individual will practice full scope
Optometry with an emphasis on
contact lenses. UNC at Chapel Hill
is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Inquiries should be directed to:
Travis A. Meredith, M.D.
Professor and Chairman
Department of Ophthalmology
UNC School of Medicine
5110 Bioinformatics Building,
CB# 7040
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7040
Telephone: 919-966-5296
Fax: 919-966-1908
Email: Travis_Meredith@med.unc.edu
www.eyecareauctions.com
It’ as easy as 1, 2, 3...to Bid, Buy &
Sell your new & used ophthalmic
equipment online. It’s always free to
list your items and almost as cheap to
sell. Check us out and start making
money on your unused equipment
instruments and supplies.
www.eyecareauctions.com
Visit AOA NEWS
Online at
www.AOA
NEWS.org
JULY 23 - AUGUST 1, 2005
100 hours available
UH COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY
Houston, Texas
To request a detailed course brochure,
Call: 713-743-1900, Fax: 713-743-1769
or send E-mail: OPTCE@UH.EDU
The University of Houston is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.
Persons with disabilities, who desire accommodations should contact the Office of Continuing Edu
at (713) 743-1900 as soon as possible.
Enroll Today as an InfantSEE™ Doctor
Send name and practice address to:
InfantSEE@aoa.org
MAY 23, 2005 • 21
Classifieds
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
ALL STATES – PRACTICES FOR SALE and 100%
FINANCING plus working capital. Largest
database of Sellers/Buyers. Confidentially
maintained. Buyers are prequalified. Seller
receives free valuation, free internet advertising. Successful transition is guided by 30 yrs. of
professional experience. Visit our website for
current listings. Call ProMed Financial, Inc.
888/277-6633. www.promed-financial.com
ALL ABOUT EYES - BUYING or SELLING?
Practice Concepts specializes in practice
sales for eyecare professionals, plus financing,
appraisals and consulting. Doctor owned and
managed. Over 14 yrs experience. For more
information and current listings www.
practiceconcepts.com or call 877/778-2020
COLORADO – Denver. Full scope practice.
Established 16 years. Doctor moving. Low
price. E-mail: integrativebeing@aol.com
CONNECTICUT. Optometrists Needed in
Connecticut. Growing Optometry practice has
part-time positions available in the Litchfield
and Cromwell areas. We offer excellent compensation, established patient base and flexible schedule. Fax CV: 866/657-5400 or email:
caring@healthdrive.com or call (toll free)
877/724-4410.
CONNECTICUT – Eastern. Optometric practice
appraised fair market value of $225,000.00.
CONTACT PRACTICE BROKER, DR. RICHARD
S. KATTOUF, O.D., D.O.S. 800/745-3937.
DELAWARE. Gross $400,000+, two locations.
Texas-Central. $1,000,000 Gross, nets 39%. New
Orleans. Gross $450,000 and growing. We have
motivated buyers seeking acquisitions in New
Jersey and Chicago land. www.TransitionConsultants.com FOR A FREE PRACTICE VALUATION OR SEARCH. 800/416-2055
FLORIDA – Tallahassee area. Excellent opportunity. Established practice stressing comprehensive care. Collects 575K with good profit
margin. Free standing building. Great staff. Call
Franklin Group Associates, Inc. and ask for
Phyllis Franklin, Lic. Real Estate Broker, at
800/465-8605.
INDIANA – Indianapolis. Medical/surgical
optometric referral center seeking OD with
residency training or 2 years disease/post op
care experience. Fax CV to 317/921-6614 or
contact Jim Hunter, O.D. 317/925-2200.
KANSAS – Wichita. Growing comprehensive
vision rehabilitation center in the heart of the
mid-west looking for full-time optometrist to
join our vision rehabilitation team. Training
provided. Competitive salary and benefits. You
can learn more about Envision at www.
envisionus.com. Reply by fax: 316/263-416 or
e-mail: bruce.kater@envisionus.com
MASSACHUSETTS. Optometrists Needed in
Massachusetts. Growing Optometry practice
has full-time and part-time positions available
in the Boston, Cape Cod and Worcester areas.
We offer excellent compensation, established
patient base and flexible schedule. F/T benefits include: paid malpractice, health & dental
insurance, 401K, etc. Fax CV: 866/657-5400 or
email: caring@healthdrive.com or call (toll
free) 877/724-4410.
MISSOURI – Eastern. Two practices – Total
Fair Market Value $300,000.00. CONTACT
PRACTICE BROKER, DR. RICHARD S. KATTOUF, O.D., D.O.S. 800/745-3937.
NEVADA – Northwestern. Close to Reno/
Tahoe - great outdoors area! Busy private
practice for sale in a growing community just
22 • AOA NEWS
east of Reno. Will consider associate for eventual practice takeover. Full scope optometry,
300K on 3.5 days per week. E-mail: doctor
mmm@charter.net
NEW JERSEY. Optometrists Needed in New
Jersey. Growing Optometry practice has
part-time positions available in the Toms
River and Freehold areas. We offer excellent
compensation, established patient base and
flexible schedule. Fax CV: 866/657-5400 or
email: caring@healthdrive.com or call (toll
free) 877/724-4410.
COAST, MISSISSIPPI, COLORADO, PENNSYLVANIA / SELLERS NEEDED FOR BUYERS
SEEKING PRIVATE PRACTICES IN – Tampa,
Orlando, Richmond, Cincinnati, Knoxville,
Charlotte, Columbus, and elsewhere throughout the U.S. Call Sandra Kennedy at National
Practice Brokers 800/201-3585.
EQUIPMENT WANTED. Equipment in excellent condition needed for two high-volume
VOSH social service eye clinics in Guatemala:
slit lamps, chair and stands, phoropters, projectors,
keratomters,
auto-refractors.
Donations are tax-deductible. Please contact
Doug Villella OD at 814/454-6517 or dougv@
surferie.net
TENNESSEE – Northern/Southern Kentucky.
Christian, six doctor, seven office, full-scope
group practice seeking full-time associate
leading to partnership. Phone: 606/676-8622.
FAX: 606/676-0310. Email: aecco@alltel.com
I NEED FRAMES, temples, bridges stamped
1/10th 12kG.F. (gold filled). New, old stock, or
Used. Full, Semi, or Rimless styles. Contact GF
Specialties, Ltd. 800/351-6926.
NEW JERSEY – Somerville. Full-scope, 50-yearold practice with niche in VT and binocular disorders. Loyal, extensive patient base; retiring
doctor offering mentoring as needed. Contact:
609/977-9118. E-mail nanlesmil2@aol.com
TEXAS – Arlington, Fort Worth and Mid-Cities.
Optometrists wanted. FT/PT. Private Practice.
Significant Salary and Benefits. State-of-theart equipment. Call 214/808-4656 or fax resume
to 972/991-4414. All replies strictly confidential.
FOR SALE: Marco Ark 900 autorefractor-keratometer, very good condition. Reconditioned
EyeSys topographer system 2000, 3 years old.
Santelli Fast Grind. Santelli Fomap edger (old).
$5,000 for all. 307/754-7151.
NEW MEXICO – Silver City. 34 year practice
for sale. Will consider associate. Net 200K.
Beautiful high desert climate at 6000 feet adjacent to the Gila wilderness hunting and fishing. State university in town. Call after 6 P.M.
mountain time. 505/388-1769.
TEXAS – Plano. Optometrist: The Boothe
EyeCare and Laser Center in Plano, TX, seeks
a full time Optometrist to perform eye examinations including routine eye exams; pre-and
post-operative exams for LASIK, cataract, and
other eye surgery; contact lens exams; and
glaucoma, cataract and diabetes checks.
Duties will include performing tests to determine visual acuity; diagnosing abnormalities
and diseases of the eye; and providing accurate refraction measurements pre-and postoperatively. Requires a Doctor of Optometry
degree, Texas Optometry License and 1 year’s
experience as an optometrist. Send resume to
P.O. Box 703197, Dallas, Texas 75370, attn:
Office Manager; or call (972)867-3955.
FOR SALE: Synemed EP-900. Used 10 times.
Still under warranty. Paid $8231.44 Sell for
$5900 Save $2300. E-mail: eyedr@citlink.net
WASHINGTON – Seattle Area. Pediatric
Optometrist Wanted at The Children’s Eye
Doctors. If you are an energetic and out going
doctor of optometry with core training and
experience in a high volume eye care environment – I have a great opportunity for you! My
pediatric ophthalmology practice in Redmond
Washington is growing rapidly. I have a new
state-of-the-art office including 10 examination
lanes and a well-trained and friendly staff. I
enjoy long term relationships with referring
pediatricians, family practice doctors, as well
as growing co-management relationships with
optometric physicians from around the state. I
am looking for an associate to join my practice
and see established pediatric patients with me
in my practice. Compensation and benefits are
negotiable and will be commensurate with
your experience. If you are interested in living
in the Seattle area with all the benefits of the
beautiful Pacific Northwest, and have a passion for pediatric eye care – please write or
call me about this tremendous opportunity! A
curriculum vitae, statement of professional
interest, and names and addresses of three
professional references should be sent or
faxed to: Tom Lenart, MD, PhD. The Children’s
Eye Doctors, 17130 Avondale Way N.E. Suite
120, Redmond, WA 98052. Phone: 425/885-2530.
TOLL FREE: 800/935-2015. FAX: 425/885-4049.
Uncomfortable with the prospect of examining infants and young children? OEP has a
two-day, small group, hands-on lecture/workshop that will give you the experience and
confidence you desire. Contact 800/447-0370
for current schedule.
NEW YORK – Rochester. Full time OD needed
to join HMO eye care team of Optometry,
Ophthalmology and Opticianry in Rochester,
NY. Full scope practice with emphasis on general care and disease management.
Residency-trained or experienced practitioner
desired. Excellent benefit package offered.
Please send your resume to Lifetime Health
Medical Group, HR Dept, 800 Carter St,
Rochester, NY 14621 or fax to 585/338-4971.
Direct inquires to H. Ted Woodcome, OD,
Director, Eye Services. EOE
NEW YORK – Tri-State Region. Optometrist
needed: Highly capable, full time Optometrist
needed by July 2005 or sooner. Practice within 1 hour of New York City. Highly-respected,
established practice with large referral base
and state-of-the-art equipment. Excellent
salary and benefits package. Serious candidates only. Please send CV: jenntse@
warwick.net OR fax 570/409-0316.
NORTH CAROLINA – Raleigh. Outstanding
FT/PT opportunity for associate OD in
Beautiful Raleigh, the Research Triangle area.
Full support staff; pleasant working conditions,
and excellent income in the six figure plus
range with benefits. Call Dr. William Fox,
919/844-2114; e-mail: drfox@nc.rr.com
OHIO – Northeastern. Great location. Population
growing. Fair market value $73,500.00. CONTACT PRACTICE BROKER, DR. RICHARD S.
KATTOUF, O.D., D.O.S. 800/745-3937.
OPTOMETRISTS, OPHTHALMOLOGISTS &
MANAGERS. LCA-Vision/ LasikPlus (NASDAQ:
LCAV) currently has 44 vision centers specializing in laser vision correction, and are growing. We have excellent opportunities across
the U.S. for motivated health care professionals seeking to enhance their career and use
their talents to provide the highest quality
patient care. We offer a competitive salary
and benefits package. To become part of our
exciting team of health care professionals
shaping the laser vision correction industry,
please reply to: Human Resources, LCA-Vision
Inc. Email: kwessel@lca.com or FAX: 513/7925626.
PENNSYLVANIA – Central. Solo Practice for
Sale. Gross 300-350K, net 120-150K. Prime
location in resort area. 4 to 5 days/wk. Lab on
site. Trained staff & all good equipment.
Dr. has cancer, must sell. Fax: 814/371-7784.
E-mail: Kairysod@penn.com
SELLERS NEEDED. PRACTICES FOR SALE,
including NEW on the market FLORIDA GULF
WISCONSIN. Optometrists Needed in
Wisconsin. Growing Optometry practice has
full-time and part-time positions available the
Madison, Milwaukee, Eau Claire and Stevens
Point areas. We offer excellent compensation,
established patient base and flexible schedule. F/T benefits include: paid malpractice,
health & dental insurance, 401K, etc. Fax CV:
866/657-5400 or email: caring@healthdrive.
com or call (toll free) 877/724-4410.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE / WANTED
FOR SALE: Quality Pre-Owned Optical
Equipment and Phase or Clear Monomer now
available from Popular Leasing. Check our
current inventory at www.popularleasing
usa.com/catalog/ then, call us at 800-8299411, Ext. 135 with an offer we can’t refuse.
Financing available.
MISCELLANEOUS
DO YOU WANT TO HELP CHILDREN? 1 out of 4
children struggle with vision problems that interfere with reading and learning. Detection and
treatment of these vision problems could be your
niche. Learn more about making vision therapy a
profitable service in your practice. Call today to
schedule a free consultation with Toni Bristol at
Expansion Consultants, Inc., specializing in
Vision Therapy practice management and marketing since 1988. Toll free 877/ 248-3823.
FINANCING. Acquisition, Debt Consolidation,
Equipment, Real Estate, Refinance, Start-up,
Working Capital. 100% financing. Fast approval,
low rates. www.promed-financial.com or call
ProMed Financial, Inc. 888/277-6633.
Significantly Increase Your Profits. Offer a new
patient service with the HTS Computerized
Home Vision Therapy program- even if you
have not offered vision therapy in your practice
before. The HTS program is affordable, efficacious, and easy to implement and requires no
additional staff. For more information or to
order a no obligation 30-day trial of the HTS
program, visit our web site, www.visiontherapysolutions.net or contact us at 888/810-3937.
Alaska CE Conference 10 Hours CE – World
class wilderness fishing with all of the
amenities – 6 Participants per week. Chignik,
Alaska July 23-30 or July 30-August 6, 2005.
Visit our website: www.eyehunteyefish.com or
email: eyehunteyefish@yahoo.com or call
907/563-8803.
Add $133 per exam to your net without adding
any extra time or work to your day. Call
806/745-2222 for a free information pack.
22nd Annual Meeting of the Optometric
Gay/Lesbian Caucus will meet in Dallas during
the AOA Congress. For information on date/
time/location contact Dr. Steve Wissing at
650/301-5874 or email at tzvecl@aol.com
Mt. Kilimanjaro: Climb for Sight 2006.
Volunteers invited to join the 6th annual
VOSH/PA hike of a lifetime to the top of
Kilimanjaro plus three days safari. January 28Feb 8 2006. Proceeds to benefit children in
Guatemala in need of sight-restoring surgery.
Non-technical route. No climbing experience
needed. For details call Pete Skala at 802/8888844 or www.voshpa.org
Registration is free for AOA & AOSA Members. Join your peers…
come to learn, come to play - either way, check out our line-up.
• Renowned Exhibit Hall with over 200 exhibitors.
• Over 200 hours of unparalleled CE.
• International Wine and Cheese Reception in the Exhibit
Hall on Thursday. Sponsored by Hoya.
• Opening General Session with speakers James Carville &
Mary Matalin. Sponsored by Essilor.
• Presidential Celebration featuring Collin Raye. Sponsored
by Signet Armorlite.
• Welcome Reception - “The Great Big American Picnic.”
Sponsored by Alcon.
• The Varilux Optometry Super Bowl XVI, where optometry
schools compete for academic supremacy. Sponsored by
Essilor.
Conference
Exhibits
June 22-26, 2005
June 23-25, 2005
call
(800) 386-6825
visit
e-mail
www.optometrysmeeting.org MeetingHotline@aoa.org
Register now!
Unparalleled CE, 200+ Exhibitors, House of Delegates, Professional Interaction – Optometry’s Meeting™
Challenging astigmatic presbyope?
Challenge Us.
INTRODUCING
CIBASOFT® Progressive Toric
Looking for an alternative to monovision, gas permeables, or reading glasses?
With CIBASOFT Progressive Torics, you’re up to the challenge.
• Meet the needs of the largest vision correction population1
• Excellent comfort and visual acuity
• A valuable addition to your specialty fitting armamentarium
• Professional consultation services help with first-fit success
For Phone Consultation call 1-800-241-7468.
For Virtual Consultation visit www.cibavision.com.
For Customer Service call 1-800-241-5999.
© 2005 CIBA Vision REFERENCE: 1. CIBA Vision. Data on file, 1999.
2005-4-0187
SPECIALTY
LENS
GROUP
Challenge Us.