Volume 6, Issue 23 │June 10, 2022
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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Submit your opinion and enter to win a $100 Starbucks gift card
The IOA is conducting a survey to determine what member benefits mean the most to members and where improvements may be made. This survey will help IOA to determine future association goals and prioritize initiatives valued by members.
Your responses will be used during the IOA Board of Directors' strategic planning meeting as we decide the goals and priorities of the association for the next few years.
The responses are anonymous; however, respondents will be asked to submit their name and email if they want to enter into the Starbucks gift card drawing. Names and survey answers will not be shared outside of the IOA office and will not be shared with the Board or members.
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Mark Your Calendar for the IOA Annual Meeting!
September 29-October 2
Some meeting highlights you don't want to miss:
- 18 hours of CE, all except the workshop are offered tested
- 8 hours of CE for paraoptometrics
- Illinois Optometry’s Celebration on Saturday night where we will present the OD & Young OD of the Year Awards
- Howl at the Moon dueling pianos performing at IL Optometry’s Celebration
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Report illegal and unsafe contact lens sales to the FDA & FTC
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2022 Medicare Fee Schedules
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Labor Law Poster - 2022 Updates |
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Volunteers Needed: 2022 Special Olympics Opening Eyes Program
The Special Olympics Lions Club International Opening Eyes Program is back for the first time since 2019 and is looking for volunteer optometrists, students, and opticians. The goal of the Special Olympics Lions Club International Opening Eyes Program is to bring quality vision care to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The assessment consists of visual acuity testing, cover test, extraocular motility testing, pupils, color vision, stereopsis, non-contact tonometry, slit lamp evaluation, and ophthalmoscopy. If the athlete is determined to need glasses, they are given a full refraction with subjective testing.
Opening Eyes Program details:
When: Saturday, June 18 from 9 am- 4 pm
Where: Illinois State University in Normal, IL.
If you have any questions, please contact Christine Allison, O.D. at 312-949-7336 or callison@ico.edu. Follow the link below to register to volunteer.
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Get to Know an IOA Board Member: Sarah Salim, O.D.
What Dr. Salim loves most about her job:
"My patients!"
Advice for new optometrists?
“Take your time picking your first job, there is no rush. Also, take some time off before you start working.”
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2022 Optometrist and Young Optometrist of the Year Awards
Do you know an outstanding optometrist who should be recognized for their efforts in the field of optometry? Consider nominating them for the 2022 Optometrist of the Year or Young Optometrist of the Year awards. The Optometrist of the Year award recognizes an individual for performance of outstanding services on behalf of the profession and to the visual welfare of the public. The Young Optometrist of the Year award recognizes an optometrist who, within their first decade of practice, has shown leadership skills when serving their profession, their patients, and their community.
A nomination may be made by a member in good standing or by a society. Nominees must be current members of the IOA. Nominations for each award should be submitted online via the links below. A typed statement, not to exceed 2,000 words, should accompany the nomination explaining the primary reason the nominee should be named as the award recipient. A head and shoulders photograph must be included with the nomination. Nominations must be submitted by August 15, 2022.
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Political Advocacy
Fox Valley Optometric Society President Toseef Hasan, OD attended a political fundraiser this week for State Sen. Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) this week. Thank you Dr. Hasan for representing optometry!
Pictured left: Sen. Laura Ellman, Toseef Hasan, OD
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GMAC Appoints 2022 Board Members
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC) announced the appointment of its Board for 2022, including a new Board Chair, as it accelerates its efforts to drive public awareness of childhood myopia and treatment options. The new GMAC Board Chair is Millicent Knight, OD, FAAO, FAARM, Senior Vice President, Customer Development Group, at EssilorLuxottica NA. Immediate Past Chair is Juan Carlos Aragón, OD, President, CooperVision Specialty EyeCare Division.
Other 2022 Board members are:
- Lisa McAllister, Global Myopia Lead, Johnson & Johnson Vision
- Kovin Naidoo, BSc,BOptom, MPH, FAAO, Senior Vice President, Social Impact, Africa & Latin America and Advocacy, Essilor
- Bill Scott, President, Jobson Healthcare Information
- Marc Ferrara, CEO of Information Services, Jobson Healthcare Information
- Raul Trillo, MD, Chief Commercial Officer, Vyluma Inc.
- Layna Mendlinger, Global Head of Marketing, Visioneering Technologies Inc.
- Sandra Block, OD, FAAO, President-Elect, World Council of Optometry
- Nick Parker, Global Head of Memberships & Partnerships, International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
- Matt Geller, OD, CEO, Eyes on Eyecare
An advisory board under the World Council of Optometry, GMAC was founded with a mission to “promote public awareness of childhood myopia as a treatable disease through direct-to-consumer channels and awareness with governments, NGOs, and other health care associations.” GMAC does not advocate for specific clinical approaches. Instead, it is designed to stimulate public interest and prompt parental conversations with eye care practitioners.
“I’m proud to serve as GMAC Board Chair on behalf of EssilorLuxottica, and excited to build on our successful programs in 2022 to further enhance our leadership role in driving public awareness of the childhood myopia epidemic,” said Dr. Knight. “This unique coalition of influential companies has been a key driver of getting industry focused on pediatric myopia treatment, and it is so gratifying to be part of this effort.”
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Many children aren’t getting the vision screening they need
Such eye conditions are preventable — if treatment starts early
By Colleen DeGuzman
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Optometry Cares ®—
The AOA Foundation Run/Walk
Saturday, June 18, at 6 a.m.
The AOA Foundation is bringing its annual run/walk to Chicago! This year, we have added a 1-mile option if you want to participate but don’t want to commit to a full 5K. We hope you will join us for either a 3.1-mile or 1-mile run/walk on Saturday, June 18, at 6 a.m. An entry fee of $30 guarantees you a performance-blend T-shirt and medal. Awards will be presented to top age-division finishers and overall winners.
Check-in at the packet pickup on Friday, June 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for your swag.
Sign up for the run/walk when you register to attend Optometry’s Meeting.
You also can sign up to “count sheep instead of steps” if you want to make a $30 donation to Optometry Cares, get a T-shirt with the race packet swag but sleep in on race day.
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ANNUAL MEETING SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT
Carolyn Majcher, OD, FAAO
Course: “Retinal Disease Grand Rounds”
Description: Using a fast-paced, case presentation format this course will cover some common and some not-so-common vitreoretinal pathologies. Audience participation will be encouraged during case discussions regarding clinical case analysis, diagnostic reasoning used to arrive at a proper diagnosis, interpretation of ancillary diagnostic tests, and generation of management plans using evidence-based medicine and standard of care guidelines. This case series will emphasize primary care of posterior segment disease utilizing multimodal imaging.
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7/13/2022: South Suburban Meeting & CE (details coming soon!)
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Check out the newest IOA classifieds here!
Private practice for sale. Chicago Mt Greenwood Area. Dr retiring due to health reasons. Established over 43 years. (Read more)
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32 Illinois Counties Now at High COVID-19 Transmission Risk
According to data released by the CDC on Thursday, 32 Illinois counties are now at "high" COVID-19 transmission risk, while 28 counties are rated "medium". Hospitalization and ICU rates continue falling even though case counts are increasing. 1,180 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19 on Wednesday, down 87 from the previous week. 107 patients were in ICU, down 11 from the prior week. The seven-day case rate is currently 37.8 per 100,000 people. |
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IDFPR Launches New Web Address
IDFPR has moved its web address to idfpr.illinois.gov to be consistent with the website URLs of other state agencies. Please make sure to bookmark the new website, idfpr.illinois.gov.
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Weekly COVID-19 Testing Program
Offices utilizing Arctic Dx's weekly in-office COVD testing program recently received a notice that the program would be discontinued. After several offices reached out, Arctic Dx has chosen to continue the program into at least early June, when they will re-evaluate the need for the program.
As a reminder, the Executive Order mandating that all health care workers must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly (at minimum) testing for COVID-19 is still in effect. Employers must either maintain proof of vaccination status or proof of weekly negative COVID-19 tests in their personnel files.
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Click here for a Q&A put together by the IOA
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Click here for a Q&A issued by the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
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Click here for information about a COVID-19 saliva testing program through ArcticDX
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Huge Scope Victory for Colorado Doctors of Optometry
Colorado becomes the tenth state—and fourth since 2021—to grant expanded contemporary optometric authority including laser procedures to doctors of optometry. Patients there now have greater access to comprehensive eye and vision care, while trained doctors of optometry can practice at some of the highest levels taught.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed into law H.B. 22-1233 on June 7, expanding the authority of doctors of optometry in the state to provide certain office-based optometric surgical procedures that benefit patients being treated for glaucoma and recovering from cataract surgery.
Following a successful push by the Colorado Optometric Association (COA), the law amends the state’s optometric practice act through 2033 and continues the authority of the Colorado State Board of Optometry to regulate the profession. Colorado is now the tenth state in the country to allow for expanded contemporary optometric procedures.
“This is a huge win for optometry in Colorado,” Sheryl Benjamin, COA executive director, says. “It allows doctors to use what they were taught and trained to do in optometry school, rather than making referrals in these cases. It also means greater access and convenience for patients.”
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Appeals Court Poised To Vacate, Send Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Ruling Back To Lower Court
Bloomberg Law (6/6, Reed, Subscription Publication) reports the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit “signaled it will vacate and send back a lower court decision to block the Biden administration’s health worker vaccine mandate across the country after the US Supreme Court allowed the rule to take effect.” In November 2021, “a federal court in Louisiana blocked the Biden administration from enforcing the mandate for health workers almost nationwide,” but “the Supreme Court granted a stay on the preliminary injunction, saying the CMS can enforce health and safety conditions on any facilities it gives money to.”
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THANK YOU TO OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS! |
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