Public Health Promotion & Disease Prevention

The Science of Reading Begins with Vision.

July 13, 2021

Learning to read, and acquiring comprehension, require well-tuned visual systems. A functional visual system supports development of efficient reading skills. This report explores what teachers, parents and administrators need to know.

Crucial Contact Lens Considerations During Pregnancy

March 2021

For the first time ever in the U.S., birth rates for women under age 30 declined, whereas rates for women age 30 and over rose. The highest birth rate is now represented by women aged 30–34. Coincidently, the average age of contact lens wearers worldwide is age 31, and the majority are female.

Doctors of Optometry Efforts to Minimize and Prevent Traumatic Brain Injury

September 2020

Efforts to minimize and prevent TBIs are a shared goal among the public health and medical communities. By improving impaired vision through comprehensive eye examination and appropriate treatment, there is evidence of enhanced balance and reductions in unintentional falls.

Distracted Driving and the Need for Comprehensive Optometric Eye Exams

May 2020

Doctors of optometry can diagnose common vision conditions that can increase the risks of distracted driving through a comprehensive eye examination.

In-Office Services and Dispensing by Physicians Enhances Patient-Centered Care

July 2019

Doctors of optometry build strong doctor-patient relationships and promote patient-centered care to reduce vision impairment in the United States.

AOA Joins the Action Collaborative as a Network Organization

March 2019

The AOA joins the Action Collaborative by supporting professional training and research in prevention, treatment and recovery to reverse the U.S. opiod epidemic.

Opioid Crisis—A U.S. Public Health Emergency: Recommendations for Doctors

November 2017

The AOA provides information regarding opioids and recommendations for prescribing doctors based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.