Vote for the top story of the past 50 years
December 20, 2011In reflecting upon the gains of the past, be sure to log in to AOAConnect and vote for the top story of the past 50 years at http://bit.ly/vANgjA. Here are some of the top selections of past ways in which the AOA helped strengthened the profession:
1963—AOA became an agency member of the American Public Health Association.
1964—AOA files complaint with U.S. Dept. of Justice alleging restraint of trade and conspiracy on the part of the American Medical Association
1967—Council on Clinical Optometric Care is formed
1968—American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) formed
1970—Alabama legislature authorizes the establishment of a school of optometry, the first to be an integral part of a medical center (UAB)
1971—First DPA Law passed – Rhode Island
1976—First TPA Law passed— West Virginia
1977—U.S. Supreme Court reverses four decades of precedent and holds that professionals may utilize truthful advertising (Bates v. Arizona State)
1986—Medicare parity legislation allows reimbursement for optometrists for health-related services performed on nonaphakic patients
1988—Federal Trade Commission approves trade regulation (Eyeglasses II)
1994—Publication of first AOA Optometric Clinical Practice Guidelines, providing ODs evidence-based recommendations for patient care
1998—First state law specifically authorizing the use of lasers by optometrists for certain treatment purposes enacted in Oklahoma
2000—Kentucky became the first state to require children to have a vision examination before entering the public school system
2002—AOA launches the Healthy Eyes, Healthy People® program
2005—InfantSEE® program established
2008—AOA establishes the National Commission on Vision and Health (NCVH)
2009—AOA House of Delegates votes in favor of establishing the American Board of Optometry (ABO) to develop and implement the framework for optometric board certification
To commemorate 50 years of groundbreaking news in optometry, we will publish the Top 10 AOA News stories as selected by our readers from all five decades. Please share your commentary and personal stories on the site as well (http://connect.aoa.org). We’d love to hear from you.
