Fed Judge Amends Statement about ODs Not Being Physicians

Following action by AOA’s House of Delegates and outreach to other organizations by the AOA, a federal judge has agreed to correct statements in court documents that say optometrists “are not physicians.” The corrected statement now reads, “Optometrists are professionals who perform eye exams and check for vision problems and diseases, but they are not medical doctors (M.D.s).”  Read more.

AOA Reacts to Fed Judge Who Ruled ODs Aren't Physicians

The AOA House of Delegates passed two resolutions reaffirming the American Optometric Association's commitment to defend the status of optometrists as physicians in federal law. The need came for the resolution after U.S. District Judge A. Howard Matz issued a summary judgement in the case between the American Optometric Society (AOS) and the American Board of Optometry (ABO). The judge stated that optometrists were not physicians. So the house also resolved that the AOS should join the AOA in petitioning the federal judge to correct his order.