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- Enough is enough
- AOA advocacy efforts return more than $7.5 million to members
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- Understanding the impact of Total Vision vs. VSP settlement for optometrists
- AOA priorities advance as U.S. House approves sweeping legislation
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- How the AOA and affiliates are fighting for reimbursement and coverage fairness
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AOA secures legislative win
December 3, 2025
DEA recognizes AOA as physician-level provider of required trainings for prescribers of controlled substances.
Tag(s): Advocacy, Federal Advocacy
Key Takeaways
- AOA advocacy win helps doctors of optometry access essential education.
- A new law names the AOA specifically as a recognized physician-level provider of required trainings for prescribers of controlled substances.
- With this authority, the AOA can help ease additional burdens for its members.
- The law gives patients increased access to treatment.
A new law will ease the burden of federal training and education requirements for doctors of optometry and expand access to and treatment of opioid use disorders—and specifically recognizes the AOA.
The Support for Patients and Providers Act was signed into law on Dec. 1 and incorporates language sought by the AOA to address a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) compliance issue created by an earlier law requiring specific training for prescribers of controlled substances. Under the previous rules, some state-developed courses do not meet federal standards, meaning certain practitioners could have been forced to complete two separate trainings to satisfy both state and federal mandates. Under the new measure, the AOA is authorized to certify those state courses, preventing duplicative requirements and reducing the burden on AOA members.
“This legislative win is a meaningful step forward for patient care and for the doctors of optometry who serve communities every day,” says AOA President Jacquie M. Bowen, O.D. “By explicitly recognizing the AOA as a trusted provider of opioid-related education, lawmakers have strengthened our ability to equip doctors with high-quality clinical education that supports responsible prescribing and better health outcomes nationwide.”
How can I meet the education requirements today?
Currently, doctors can access the Providers Clinical Support System “Substance Use Disorder 101 Core Curriculum,” comprised of 23 modules that can be used for doctors to meet the eight-hour DEA education and training requirement. Developed by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, the curriculum provides an overview of evidence-based practices in the prevention, identification and treatment of substance use disorders and co-occuring medical and psychiatric conditions. Each stand-alone module is available at no cost; registration is required to access these modules. When asked to identify your profession, select “other” and indicate optometry.
The AOA is actively developing an optometry-specific course that will be offered in the AOA EyeLearn Professional Development Hub in the coming months, and an in-person education opportunity will be available at Optometry’s Meeting® 2026, June 17-20, in Phoenix.