POA's upcoming events

Winter is flying by and spring is almost here! So far, 2023 has been very productive for the POA. The course presented by Salus University in partnership with the POA, Ophthalmic Laser Procedures for the Anterior Segment, was a huge success. Dozens of optometrists successfully completed this high-quality training. If you missed it, don’t worry, the opportunity for this instruction will be provided again soon. 

Since the first Board of Directors meeting in January, the POA’s volunteer committees and Board have been active. The Legislative Affairs Committee reported in early January that Senator Chris Gebhard released a co-sponsorship memoranda increasing the effectiveness of eye health examinations for our children in Pennsylvania, which the POA fully supports. Please contact the POA office if you need talking points to help communicate the importance of this bill to your legislators. 

Additionally, the new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee participated in a workshop entitled “Moving Toward Inclusion and Belonging”. The POA will continue pursuing these important efforts as it continues to grow its membership. Please check out the updates from other POA committees in this edition of the Keystoner as well. 

The POA’s annual Spring Congress is right around the corner, on March 30th to April 2nd, at the Wyndham Gettysburg Hotel. Aside from the Board of Directors meeting, continuing education, and House of Delegates, it will be your chance to take in all that historic Gettysburg has to offer. As an alumnus of Gettysburg College, I know you’ll love your experience there. In addition to the many tours and museums, you won’t want to miss some of our special events. There will be the 2023 Gettysburg Historic Road Rally, our annual awards ceremony, a Saturday night ghost gathering, the exhibit hall with tons of eager and knowledgable company representatives, and the State of the Association Lunch. On Friday, you’re invited to my “Represent your Alma Mater” night at the Battlefield Brew Works featuring, none other than, The Mark Margolies Band live onstage! Every attendee will get a free CD. Be sure to wear your school gear and bring any paraphernalia from your institution. What a fun, action packed weekend it will be. 

After the Spring Congress, the POA will continue its work on your behalf. Please take a moment to look at the POA committee structure and see if you find an area of interest that you would like to participate in. If so, inform me or Ilene Sauertieg of the POA staff at Ilene@poaeyes.org. 

Keep an eye out for news of the next POA lobbying day in Harrisburg, due to be held in the late spring to early summer. Also, mark your calendar for an event in Harrisburg where POA volunteers and paraoptometrics will be providing eye exams in an underserved area on September 29th and 30th. 

I am incredibly excited to be with old friends and see new faces in Gettysburg. See you soon!

Jesse Jones, 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

COVID's still the word

Well, here we are again… COVID is still the word of the day but now it’s paired with a more positive word: vaccine. Healthcare providers all over the state have been or are in the process of being vaccinated. Like when the pandemic began, unanswered questions have crossed everyone’s minds. Who is eligible? Where do you get it? Are doses available? Why can’t I schedule for it? Pfizer or Moderna? Do I have a choice? Then there is the question of complications that continue to evolve. The POA continues to advocate for and provide information to members in hopes of answering these questions. Members will know when the POA staff knows. Check out the latest information on the COVID-19 Updates webpage at https://pennsylvania.aoa.org/doctors/poa-member-resources/covid-19. Everything from vaccination locations to SBA PPP COVID relief loans are covered on this resource page. 

One thing to know for certain is that the vaccine is highly effective and limits the serious complications of SARS CoV-19. We all know that the pandemic has had a huge effect on the delivery of healthcare, but it is not the only issue that faces Optometry in 2021. The POA is like a duck on a pond, looking tranquil on the surface, but the feet are moving 100 MPH below the surface. The new ground created by the “Modernization of Optometry Act,” Bioptic driving, and the pending Children’s Vision legislation have many committees in high gear. We are aiding in the development of regulations and standards that will carry these initiatives far into the future. Also, other committees are developing public service messages that highlight Optometry and aids to help school nurses better define children with covert binocular vision anomalies. All of this activity is being performed by volunteers with the outstanding support of the POA staff. 

We are the POA: multiple generations of optometrists working together, giving their time, unique skills, and effort to move Pennsylvania Optometry forward! I am asking you to join us in our effort by participating on a committee and use your unique skills to advance optometry. You will find that the rewards are unlimited. After 35 years, that’s exactly my experience.  

Until soon,

Ed 

Edward Savarno, O.D.
POA President

Contact lenses continue to evolve to meet patients’ needs

Contact lenses have become modernized over several decades including large strides that have changed the health and optics available. In the past two to three years, major manufacturers of contact lenses have continued to expand the population that can be potentially served by innovative technology and combining successful design models from the past.

Many patients come into optometrists’ offices having gone more than 10 years since trying a contact lens and are unaware of the available options. No longer are conditions of astigmatism or presbyopia restrictions from achieving excellent visual outcomes from contact lenses. The availability of trial contact lenses to every optometrist allows a wide variety of options to meet a patient's needs for those that work indoors or outdoors, as well as those with specific lighting sensitivities. 

Innovative eye care professionals are ready and able to work with patients to problem-solve the demanding vision environments and find a lens fit that is right for them. Sensitive, strained eyes may also suffer from dryness and can be helped by the benefits of contact lenses. Fortunately, dry eye conditions can be better managed to help promote the wear of contact lenses and return once disappointed patients into healthy contact lens wearers.

Daily wear contact lenses can provide full-time comfort or be used for patients who wear lenses for special occasions. These offer the lowest risk of infection of all of the current contact lens modalities and are available in thousands of customized parameters to meet the most stringent needs. In addition to daily wear contact lenses, monthly and two-week contact lenses still offer a cost effective and convenient way to treat vision and manage ocular surface health. Contact lens companies have utilized advancements in manufacturing techniques and materials to develop contact lenses that are healthier and more comfortable than traditional varieties of years past. The surface of the lens is more comfortable and more resistant to infection-causing bacteria than ever before, which also contributes to long-term health. Specialty contact lens manufacturers now offer healthier options from reputable vendors for theatrical and cosmetic contact lenses.

In the hands of an experienced eye care provider, manufacturers can offer significantly better quality-controlled lenses reducing the risk of complications. Less reputable contact lens providers that break down the doctor-patient relationship can cause short-term and long-term complications that can be addressed and sometimes reversed while under the care of an eye care professional. Considerations should also be made for specialty contact lenses that can be utilized for therapeutic purposes for the treatment of complex ocular diseases and dry eye disease.

Doctors of Optometry continue to learn and apply expertise to the implementation of individual plans to make contact lens wear more successful for their patients. The future of contact lenses is brighter than ever and is an excellent topic of discussion for yearly eye exams. 

Smart Talk with Scott LaMar on WITF

On Monday, March 28, Drs. Marianne Boltz and Gregory Caldwell joined radio host Scott LaMar for his show "Smart Talk." The doctors discussed Save Your Vision Month and the importance of yearly eye examinations, along with Kids Welcome Here and how to prevent digital eye strain. To listen to their interview online, visit
http://witf.vo.llnwd.net/o35/smarttalk/radiosmarttalk/RST_March282016.mp3.

Dr. Boltz explains the importance of the 20-20-20 rule on Smart Talk.

Dr. Caldwell smiles for the camera as Dr. Boltz discusses Kids Welcome Here.

Dr. Boltz and Dr. Caldwell have their photo taken by a WITF employee for their website.

Outside the green room, Dr. Boltz and Dr. Caldwell expressed their feelings about how the segment went.

Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Boltz with Scott LaMar after their segment.

Dr. Boltz and Dr. Caldwell pose for a photo outside the WITF building.

Anthracite's Save Your Vision Month 2015

By Shannon Scheuren, O.D.

For Save Your Vision Month, approximately 2,000 second grade students from sixteen schools located in Carbon, Northumberland and Schuylkill counties participated in a coloring contest hosted by the Anthracite Optometric Society. All participants received a custom pencil and each classroom winner received a trophy. Out of the classroom winners, an overall school winner was chosen. The school winners had a party at McDonald’s in Saint Clair on March 28, 2015. Seymour Safely handed out balloons to winners and others at the party and posed for photos. Anthracite Optometric Society provided happy meals for the winners and McDonald’s gave out cookies. Praxair donated the helium for the balloons.

Dr. Gary Scheib, who has dressed as Seymour Safely since approximately 1979, spoke on the importance of our eyes and vision. Dr. Shannon Scheuren, Dr. Ann Marie Robert-Blehm and Dr. Bernice Machamer presented the winners with their certificates and trophies.

Photos provided by Dr. Shannon Scheuren.

The 21st Century Eye: Protecting Your Vision Three Ways

Pennsylvania Optometric Association provides tips for Save Your Vision Month

Everywhere we go, we're reading, shopping, banking, or being entertained online via digital devices small and large - at work, school, vacation, and on our way in-between. In fact, according to the American Optometric Association's (AOA) 2014 American Eye-Q® survey, 55 percent of adults are using computers, smartphones, tablets and other hand-held devices for at least five hours a day. A separate AOA survey showed that 83 percent of children, ages ranging from 10-17, use an electronic device for more than three hours a day. Digital use will only continue to increase, making it important for consumers to make smart eye care choices like seeing an eye doctor for yearly comprehensive eye exams.

Below are three tips from the Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA) in observance of Save Your Vision Month, which occurs yearly in March.

Give Your Eyes a Break

The POA recommends following the 20-20-20 rule to discourage digital eye strain - take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to view something 20 feet away.

Regular, lengthy use of technology may lead to digital eye strain, which is a temporary condition, but one that includes symptoms like burning or tired eyes, headaches, fatigue, loss of focus, blurred or double vision, or head and neck pain.

Early research has also shown that overexposure to high-energy, short-wavelength blue and violet light emitted from electronic devices may also contribute to digital eye strain. This blue light also increases the likelihood of developing serious eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration. Optometrists offer lens options including non-glare, filtering lenses, to help protect vision from harmful blue light.

Be a Savvy Shopper

There are many products available for purchase online, but prescription eyeglasses should not be one of them. Eyeglasses are meant to be individually custom-made; health and safety should trump convenience when it comes to eyewear. Internet orders often result in incorrect prescriptions, not to mention all the other problems that occur with any online transaction that can cost consumers more money and a great deal of hassle. According to a 2011 study done by the AOA, the Optical Laboratories Association and The Vision Council, nearly half of all glasses ordered online had either prescription errors or failed to meet minimum safety standards.

Eyeglasses are a medical device and should be treated as such. They are an investment in your health and future, and must be custom-fitted not only for comfort, but also to be sure precise prescription needs are met so that the wearers are seeing his or her best.

Skip Shortcuts

There is no substitute for a comprehensive, yearly eye exam by an eye doctor. Despite catchy claims, there is no "app for that." While a variety of new mobile applications and websites claim to evaluate vision or the fit of eyeglasses, often inaccurate or misleading information is given, and misinformed consumers end up delaying essential, sight-saving exams. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical in preventing a total loss of vision and often improve quality of life.

One of the most important, preventive ways to preserve vision and accurately assess eye health is to have yearly, comprehensive eye examinations. Diagnosing an eye disorder or disease, or determining if corrective lenses are needed, is also determined by these helpful eye examinations.

To find a nearby doctor of optometry, or for additional information on eye health in the 21^st century, please visit www.poaeyes.org.

About the Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA):The Pennsylvania Optometric Association is the professional organization for over 1,250 doctors of optometry in Pennsylvania. An affiliate of the American Optometric Association, POA promotes the highest quality eye and vision care by optometrists, represents optometry to state government, provides its members with post-graduate education and membership benefits, and conducts activities in the interest of the visual welfare of the public. For more information, visit www.poaeyes.org.

About the American Eye-Q® survey:The ninth annual American Eye-Q® survey was created and commissioned in conjunction with Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates (PSB). From March 20-25, 2014, PSB conducted 1,000 online interviews among Americans 18 years and older who embodied a nationally representative sample of the U.S. general population. (Margin of error is plus or minus 3.10 percentage points at a 95% confidence level)

About the Children's Omnibus survey:The children's Omnibus survey was created and commissioned in conjunction with Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates (PSB). From March 24-31, 2014, PSB conducted 200 online interviews from March 24-31, 2014 with children ages 10 to 17. (Margin of error is plus or minus 6.93 percentage points at a 95% confidence level)

About the American Optometric Association (AOA):The American Optometric Association, a federation of state, student and armed forces optometric associations, was founded in 1898. Today, the AOA is proud to represent the profession of optometry, America's family eye doctors, who take a leading role in an individual's overall eye and vision care, health and well-being. Doctors of optometry (ODs) are the independent primary health care professionals for the eye and have extensive, ongoing training to examine, diagnose, treat and manage disorders, diseases and injuries that affect the eye and visual system, providing two-thirds of primary eye care in the U.S. For information on a variety of eye health and vision topics, and to find an optometrist near you, visit www.aoa.org.