By Elizabeth Muckley, OD, OOA Trustee – “The world’s first refractive online eye exam that delivers a valid prescription! Takes 5-10 minutes and costs 75% less than a traditional refraction exam!”

This is the advertisement for a Chicago-based online “eye exam” website that is supposed to go live this summer. The AOA has written a response published March 14 on aoa.org/news: http://www.aoa.org/news/advocacy/aoa-warns-public-about-online-eye-exams

I encourage Ohio optometrists to pay close attention to this issue. This issue concerns patient safety, and affects each and every eye care professional in this country, regardless of practice mode or type. It is issues like these that remind us of the importance of membership in our professional organizations, OOA and AOA. Together we can advocate for our patients and demonstrate the value of our profession.

Membership in the AOA/OOA is an insurance policy you need just like for malpractice or your automobile. The AOA/OOA continues to develop strategies regarding online eye-testing sites and refracting kiosks in the interest of patient safety.

Read the article published in the Chicago Tribune March 12 about this issue:

http://bluesky.chicagotribune.com/originals/chi-opternative-aoa-warning-dangers-bsi-20140312,0,0.story