Regulatory/Legislative News

The Olympics, natural events and Supreme Court decisions have not only made history this year, they have touched the world of eye care.

On Dec. 16, the House passed S141, a reform bill that would include optometry in the physician pay scale, according to an American Optometric Association press release.

Alcon Laboratories announced the voluntary recall of one lot of Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go, following a consumer complaint that led to the discovery of fungal contamination in the drops.

A number of key opinion leaders submit blogs to Healio Optometry, and two of our most popular bloggers are Scott Edmonds, OD, FAAO, and Oliver Kuhn-Wilken, OD. Here are their top posts over the past year.

Advocacy efforts by the American Optometric Association and affiliates have resulted in nearly $3 million in vision and health plan reimbursement retrieved for optometry practices, the organization recently announced.

As Healio recently reported, proposed reforms to the NIH, which include folding the National Eye Institute into a multi-specialty grouping, could significantly affect research and have prompted several advocacy organizations to take action.

The American Optometric Association has provided a resource of frequently asked questions and other important details about the updated Eyeglass Rule, which goes into effect Sept. 24.

After receiving a warning letter from the FDA on Aug. 16 citing “significant violations” related to two Regener-Eyes ophthalmic products, the company has implemented several improvements to address the concerns.

The Early Detection of Vision Impairments for Children Act, if passed, would be the first federal-level program to support state and community approaches for children’s vision and eye health, a major step forward for the eye care community.