STATE ADVOCACY
Landmark Win: Tennessee Modernizes Eye Care with Scope Expansion
Tennessee becomes the sixteenth state — and the second in 2026 — to authorize doctors of optometry to use ophthalmic lasers.
Historic win for Kansas patients and optometrists
Kansas becomes the fifteenth state to authorize doctors of optometry to use ophthalmic lasers.
Medical groups tally defeats as AOA and affiliates stay alert to nationwide ‘not-a-doctor’ threat
AOA, affiliates continue to fight against restrictive legislation.
Affiliate legislative wins in 2025 aided by battle-tested legal and policy experts
Grassroots efforts are moving the needle for optometry.
South Carolina Supreme Court upholds state’s Eye Care Patient Protection Law
Favorable ruling ends a decade-long legal battle for the South Carolina Optometric Physicians Association.
Arkansas doctors rallying to defeat EyeMed tactics that undermine purpose of state's new VBM accountability law
State association and AOA unite in push for full implementation and fairness for optometry practices
Vision test kiosks elicit state patient safety alert
Pennsylvania doctors of optometry sound the alarm on Eyebot kiosk pilot
State champs
Legislative victories in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma underscore the fact that state-level advocacy is essential to curbing abuse by vision benefit managers.
Minnesota passes long-awaited scope expansion bill
The new law removes outdated medication restrictions and allows some in-office procedures.
Texas unanimously passes groundbreaking VBM access bill
Effective immediately, law opens VBM provider networks for all credentialed optometrists.
650+ reasons why these powerhouse state sessions are advancing optometry
Prepare your advocacy team to create a winning legislative strategy by attending one of the AOA State Government Relations Committee Regional Advocacy Meetings this August or October.
Major victory for West Virginia patients, optometrists
West Virginia’s scope victory makes it the fourteenth state in the nation to authorize doctors of optometry for ophthalmic lasers, bolstering patients’ access to this level of care.