Advocacy Efforts

Because optometry is a legislated profession, many issues at the federal and state level can potentially affect how, when, where, and what you practice.

Examples of issues that optometry leaders and professional association staff have advocated for over the years are advancement in scope of practice, antidiscrimination payment policies and support of optometric education.

The profession of optometry has grown over the 100 years of its existence. Optometrists have gained the right to dilate their patients, treat many ocular disease conditions and treat patients with Medicare insurance. All of these expansions of the optometric profession happened because individual members and professional association staff of the POA and AOA were willing to advocate for their profession and see it grow.

Legislative Affairs Committee Reports