Regulatory/Legislative News

The American Optometric Association and several state associations announced plans to oppose legislation that potentially prohibits doctors of optometry from being called doctors and physicians.

The CDC issued a statement recommending that clinicians and patients discontinue using EzriCare Artificial Tears due a possible link to eye infections that have led to vision loss, hospitalization and death.

KOLOA, Hawaii — In this Healio Video Perspective from Hawaiian Eye 2023, Kevin J. Corcoran, COE, CPC, CPMA, FNAO, discusses ophthalmic economic and regulatory updates for the year.

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed updating its Ophthalmic Practices Rules to require optometrists and ophthalmologists to retain written confirmation from patients indicating they were given their eyeglass prescription.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 2236, which would have allowed optometrists in the state to use therapeutic lasers, remove eyelid lesions and perform corneal crosslinking.

Legislation has passed in Colorado that expands the scope of practice of optometrists in the state to include certain injections and laser procedures, chalazion removal and corneal cross-linking.

Virginia lawmakers passed legislation to expand the optometric scope of practice to now include the use of Nd:YAG, selective laser trabeculoplasty and laser peripheral iridotomy.

The Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission announced that the government will collect $1.5 million in civil penalties and $2 million in consumer redress from the online contact lens company, Vision Path Inc., doing business as Hubble Contacts.

In 2019, more than 67 million adults in the U.S. reported having a disability, a 1% increase since the prevalence was last examined in 2016, according to findings published in JAMA Network Open.

Allergan, an AbbVie company, announced the FDA approval of the eye drop, Vuity, for the treatment of presbyopia.