News from the AOA's Blog

AARP’s free Webinar, “Keep Your Safety in Sight: Prepare for the Effects of Aging Vision on Driving,” will be offered Wednesday, May 11 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT.

As you age, your vision undergoes certain changes that can affect your driving and may increase your risk of being in an accident. This session, hosted jointly by the AARP Driving Safety Program and the AOA, will explore these changes and provide valuable information to keep you safe on the road. You’ll learn:

•  What changes in vision to expect with aging, including its effect on processing speed, blurred vision, problems seeing in low light or at night and reduced peripheral vision
• How these changes can affect your driving
• Practical tips and resources to help you prepare for and cope with vision and environmental driving changes

 Presenter:

• Paul B. Freeman, O.D.,   AOA 

To register go to: http://w.on24.com/r.htm?e=298210&s=1&k=31FAC0CBFB7D907649ECED0AD5548D86.

“And so it began. Day 1 of Dori’s March Madness. I’m at SECO followed by SCCO, Western, Arizona, and ICO. The intent is I will be home by March 12th.”

With that March 3 post on her blog, AOA President-elect Dori Carlson, O.D., kicked off a whirlwind tour of four optometry schools in one week. The mini-marathon is part of a larger marathon: visiting with students at all the schools and colleges of optometry in a 20-month window. Read the rest of this entry ?

In releasing a statement about online dispensing of eyewear, AOA President Joe Ellis, O.D., explained why the AOA is looking into the issue, “We’ve heard concerns about problems with eyewear dispensed online. We want to understand the scope of problems and identify areas in which we need to petition for change.”

Dr. Ellis stressed that “even if every pair of eyeglasses dispensed online was perfect, purchasing eyewear is only a very small part of eye care. Without regular visits to optometrists for comprehensive eye exams, patients risk having serious eye and vision problems going undiagnosed.” Read the rest of this entry ?

By Sam Pierce, O.D., AOA Trustee

Pros

• Convenience
• Ability to order 24/7 from virtually anywhere
• Only requirement is access to Internet
• Spectacles shipped directly to home or office
• Selection
• Access to thousands of frames instead of limited local inventory
• Ability to “virtually” try on frames with many online vendors
• Price
• Incredibly low prices from some online vendors gives the overall perception of better value when purchased online vs. local optical

Read the rest of this entry ?

The AOA recognizes a consumer’s right to choose where they buy their eyewear in a free market environment, and in that environment believes acquiring eyewear directly from an eye care professional is the best way to assure prescription accuracy and protection against inferior products that may not comply with federal safety standards. Consumer safety is a primary concern of the AOA.  Read the rest of this entry ?