A critical moment for children’s vision legislation

Dear colleagues,

As we reflect on the recent completion of the Pennsylvania state budget, we find ourselves at a critical juncture. While many important issues were addressed, our children's vision legislation, which aims to make comprehensive eye exams mandatory for children prior to entering school, was not passed or even voted out of committee. However, we have one final opportunity to change that—a chance akin to a hail Mary pass in football or a buzzer-beater shot in basketball. This fall, before we enter a new legislative session next year, we must rally together to advocate for this crucial legislation.

The Importance of Comprehensive Eye Exams for Children

Every day, we see firsthand the difference that early detection and treatment of vision problems can make in a child's life. Comprehensive eye exams are essential for diagnosing conditions that can significantly impact a child's learning and development. Issues such as amblyopia, strabismus, and significant refractive errors often go undetected without a thorough eye exam, leading to difficulties in school and beyond.

The future of the children of the Commonwealth depends on us. By making comprehensive eye exams a standard requirement before children enter school, we can ensure that every child has the visual foundation necessary to succeed academically and socially. This legislation is not just about eye health; it’s about giving our children the best possible start in life.

Rallying for Change: Engaging Hearts and Minds

To achieve this goal, we must appeal to the hearts and minds of our patients and legislators. Share your stories with your patients—stories of children whose lives have been transformed by timely eye care. Encourage them to contact their legislators and express their support for the children’s vision legislation. Personal testimonials can be incredibly powerful in demonstrating the real-world impact of this initiative.

Additionally, you must reach out to your local representatives. Explain the importance of early detection and treatment of vision problems and how this legislation can make a profound difference in the lives of countless children. Emphasize that investing in children’s vision now will pay dividends in their future success and well-being.

A Unified Effort

Our association is committed to supporting you in this advocacy effort. We will provide resources, talking points, and guidance on how to effectively communicate with patients and legislators. Together, we can create a groundswell of support that cannot be ignored.

In closing, I urge each of you to take action. The window of opportunity is narrow, but with a unified and determined effort, we can achieve our goal. The future of the children of the Commonwealth is in our hands. Let us seize this moment and ensure that every child has the chance to see clearly and succeed fully.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to this vital cause.

Sincerely,

Dr. James Deom

POA President

Navigating life's path

Dear Colleagues,

As the Pennsylvania Optometric Association moves through another year, it's crucial to remind ourselves of the core mission that binds us together: advocating for our patients and tirelessly working to protect and expand the scope of practice for optometrists to the full extent of our education and training. Our dedication to this mission is exemplified through our extensive educational outreach and the ongoing efforts to ensure that every Pennsylvanian can experience the highest quality of life through optimal vision health.

This year has been particularly significant as we mark the culmination of over two decades of advocacy and public education focused on children's vision. Our efforts have always been fueled by the transformative stories of children who see the world clearly for the first time, thanks to the simple yet profound impact of a correct vision diagnosis followed by treatment with glasses or contact lenses. These stories inspire us and highlight the profound difference our profession can make.

However, today, I want to share a different kind of story—a reminder that our work impacts lives beyond the immediate scope of childhood vision care. Recently, a 68-year-old man visited my office. While waiting, he read a flyer about the POA's children’s vision initiatives. This gentleman was 20/50 best corrected in both eyes, a condition that went undiagnosed until his 30s when he first received glasses during a prison term. He shared with me how he felt that his undiagnosed vision problems contributed to his challenges in school and ultimately led him down a path that resulted in his incarceration. He wondered if his life might have been different had he received the vision care he needed as a child.

This encounter serves as a powerful reminder of the broader social implications of vision care. It underscores the importance of our commitment to ensuring comprehensive eye health and vision care for all ages. This man’s story is a testament to the critical need for universal access to optometric services—not only for children but for every individual at every stage of life.

As we continue to advocate for the access of optometric practice, let us also remember the profound societal impact that can result from our dedication to vision health. Our efforts have the power to change lives in ways that reach far beyond the exam room, influencing the educational, social, and even judicial trajectories of those we serve.

Let's carry forward our commitment to advocating for comprehensive eye care, reinforcing the notion that good vision is a cornerstone of overall health and well-being. Together, we can ensure that no one, irrespective of age or life circumstance, has to navigate life's path without the clear vision they deserve.

Warm regards,

James Deom, O.D. MPH F.A.A.O. FSLS 

President

Pennsylvania Optometric Association

Looking back...and ahead

The first quarter is now in the rearview mirror and we are well into spring. Let's take a few moments to look back at what we have accomplished over the last couple of months at the POA and what we have set our sights on for this coming summer and fall. 

In late March, there was a substantial showing of POA optometrists at Senator Chris Gebhard’s fundraiser. The Senator, currently sponsoring the children’s vision bill, and his staff were impressed by the number of ODs present at the event and appreciative of the tremendous support shown. Leading into April, our annual Spring Congress in Gettysburg was a massive success! There was an array of quality continuing education with high attendance, robust engagement between industry supporters and doctors in the exhibit hall, roaming Welcoming Ambassadors, the second POA Board meeting of 2023, our House of Delegates, the annual POA Awards Ceremony, and plenty of social events for friends and families to mingle and have some fun. It was a memorable weekend for sure!

In March and April, the POA and the Pennsylvania Academy of Ophthalmology (PAO) continued a dialogue on several different initiatives where Optometry and Ophthalmology are confident we can work together. Some of these efforts will include low vision, scleral and medically necessary contact lenses, third party center mutual challenges, and medicaid.

From June 21 to 24, Optometry’s Meeting and AOA on Capitol Hill will be held  in Washington, D.C. Please contact me, or the POA office, if you would like to act as a Pennsylvania delegate at the AOA House of Delegates. Please also consider advocating with us for our patients and our profession on the Hill in Washington that same weekend. 

Keep alert for more details on another course on Ophthalmic Laser Procedures for the Anterior Segment presented by Salus University and supported by the POA. It will be on the road in Western Pennsylvania sometime this fall. 

Additionally, you should save the dates of September 29 and 30 to volunteer in Harrisburg by performing eye exams in an underserved area. 

And lastly, please join us November 1 to 3 for our final 2023 POA Board of Directors meeting and Fall Educational Conference with an exhibit hall in luxurious Bedford Springs!

I am immensely proud of what our POA Board, committees, and staff have accomplished so far this year. Let the hard work and collaboration continue! I look forward to seeing you again soon and, of course, meeting new people too.

Appreciatively,

Jesse

Why do children need the POA?

Did you know there are approximately 1,745,000 students enrolled in Pennsylvania schools? Studies estimate 33% of these students are at risk for vision problems. That is approximately 576,000 students. Did you know 40% of students with learning disabilities have vision issues that affect learning? Did you know Pennsylvania schools spend 9K-15K per student on an IEP (Individualized Education Program), which is required for all special education students? Recent studies have found that children who are spending increasing time on electronic devices have a higher incidence of vision deficits that impact learning. The negative impact of children’s vision problems is likely to get worse if nothing changes. 

Children need the POA because we can uniquely provide the vision and eye care children need to succeed.  The POA's Children’s Vision Care Alliance (CVCA) has been busy educating optometrists, school nurses, and legislators on the importance of proper eye care for our children’s success in and out of the classroom.

Representative David Zimmerman has introduced HB 1343, which would require children in Pennsylvania to have a comprehensive eye health exam when entering school, in 4th grade, in 8th grade, and before qualifying for special education services. This bill currently has 40 co-sponsors with bipartisan support. It is currently in the Education Committee. We feel confident this bill can pass once it is out of committee. 

So, how can you help?  Please attend our Optometry at the Capitol Day in Harrisburg on Monday, March 28, where we will be lobbying for important issues. You are all invited to this investment in the future of Optometry. Please register here: https://pennsylvania.aoa.org/education-and-events/poa-lobby-day. Learn more about POA's legislative efforts and send a letter to your legislator by visiting the Advocacy page here: https://pennsylvania.aoa.org/advocacy.

In addition to contacting your legislators, please consider joining the POA Keyperson Committee or POPAC Fundraising Committee. You don’t need experience. You only need a passion for Optometry and helping our patients.

Finally, keep your eyes open for the new POA Proactive Optometry Initiative to help advance current and future Optometry-friendly legislation, like HB 1343. More information will be available soon!

Let's get back to the children, though. One study showed that when students who were identified with visual deficiencies received proper treatment, their grades significantly improved, whereas without proper treatment, these students continued to underperform, leading to a 12% reduction in wages.  Don’t you want to be part of the solution? Educate yourself. Educate your patients. Educate your local schools. Educate your legislators. Join the CVCA. Become a Keyperson. Support POPAC. If you don’t know where to start, call the POA and we will help you. Your children, and your children’s children, will thank you. I thank you. 

(Citations for the facts included in this editorial can be found on the POA Advocacy webpage.)

Tracy Carpenter Sepich, O.D.
POA President

Why are you a member of the POA?

The beginning of a new year is a perfect time for introspection. What is important to me? Why do I volunteer? Why is the POA important to me? What is important to the POA and its members? 

I know why I volunteer. I want, in my own way and in my own capacity, to make the world a better place. This year, as POA president, I hope I can use my talents to lead the POA to a better place for its members, volunteers, staff, and, most importantly, our patients. 

The POA has just completed its 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, which you can find on the POA website here: https://pennsylvania.aoa.org/about/2022-2026-poa-strategic-plan. Please take the time to read it. This reflects our members’ priorities and provides our road map to achieve success as an association.

In our strategic plan, you will see four strategic priorities that will be addressed by our volunteers and committee structure. These four priorities include: legislative efforts, children’s vision promotions, third party relationships, and finally, building a strong and engaged membership. So, now I start at the end. Today, I want to concentrate on strategic priority number four: “Leverage unused talents among optometrists in Pennsylvania to support the POA’s vision and mission.” We plan to drive membership and engagement for all Pennsylvania optometrists to contribute their unique talents to the POA by: creating a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) task force; increasing the membership numbers of corporate and private equity optometrists; increasing the membership numbers of newly licensed optometrists; and increasing member participation in POA committees.

To that end, we are offering a free leadership development program. It starts with a live meeting on Saturday, February 12 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Place in State College and wraps up on Sunday, October 9 from 8:00 a.m. - noon at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion. All intervening events will be via Zoom. We have invited Renee Brauns, a long-time executive at the American Optometric Association, to lead our in-person events and guide us through the year. There is no cost to you for the program and no obligation, but space is limited. You can apply online here: https://pennsylvania.aoa.org/education-and-events/poa-2022-leadership-development. 

The live meetings will include presentations, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities. We will help you understand your leadership style to apply it within your practice, the POA, and everyday life. Our goal is for you to gain leadership skills and a better understanding of the POA, our leadership structure, and volunteer opportunities. If you want to make a difference in your profession or if you want to learn how to become a more effective leader, please apply.

Now, I ask you to please take a moment to consider what is important to you. What are your priorities? What is your vision for 2022? If you would like to see the POA achieve its strategic goals and reach its vision of “creating access to high-quality eye health and vision care for all citizens of Pennsylvania,” please apply to our leadership program. Please volunteer to serve on a POA committee. If you don’t know how to do that, contact me or the POA office. 

I have a vision for the POA. I know we can achieve our goals. That vision includes you. Please help your association by taking a risk and volunteering. The beautiful thing is by helping the POA, you will help yourself and your patients. I will always take that type of risk; everyone wins. Happy New Year.

Tracy C. Sepich, O.D., M.S. (she/her)

POA President

tsepich@restoreeyecare.com