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Welcome to the August 2021 edition of the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety (APS)’s monthly newsletter!
National Eye Exam Month
August is National Eye Exam Month. We know that eye exams don’t only protect patients’ vision, but can provide key insights into their overall health and wellbeing. Here are a few facts you can share this month about comprehensive eye exams:
- Doctors of optometry can detect over 270 health conditions during an eye exam. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and more.
- Online vision tests only provide a fraction of the many tests patients receive during a comprehensive eye exam. It’s important for patients to visit an optometrist to understand the full picture of their eye health!
- According to Eye-Q, one in five Americans say an eye health professional detected or diagnosed a non-eye related health issue during an eye exam.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as we continue to advocate for comprehensive eye exams which are critical for protecting patient safety.
Head Back-to-School with an Eye Exam
We’ve seen significant impacts on children’s vision during the pandemic. Increased screen time has brought attention to the growing issue of childhood myopia, making eye exams even more important this back-to-school season. Visit the American Optometric Association’s website to learn more about why a comprehensive eye exam should be on parents’ back-to-school checklists.
APS is committed to monitoring the patient safety landscape for children and adults. Have you seen an increase in childhood myopia in your practice, or do you have more questions about protecting children’s vision? Reply to this email to let us know.
Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act Cosponsors
Since its introduction in May, the Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act has garnered 38 new cosponsors in the House and 2 in the Senate. We thank all of the members of Congress who have signed on to show their dedication to improving patient safety for millions of contact lens wearers. When Congress is back from their summer recess, your advocacy will be key to educating potential new cosponsors to move the legislation forward.
In the meantime, you can tweet at your Representative and Senators today and ask them to sign on!
Introducing our newest partner: Essilor Luxottica
APS is proud to announce that EssilorLuxottica, a global leader in eye care, has joined the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety.
“APS members are pleased to welcome EssilorLuxottica, which represents an important addition to our organization’s efforts to advocate for policies that protect patients,” said Dr. David Cockrell, chairman of the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety. “EssilorLuxottica’s diversified operation and integration is an important perspective into what policies and procedures can improve vision care outcomes while protecting and promoting the doctor-patient relationship.”
Learn more about our newest partner by visiting our website.
Thank you for being a dedicated patient safety advocate.
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