Committee Spotlight: AOA’s Ethics and Values Committee

Optometry is more than a job. It’s a career that comes with a code of ethics and commitment to treating patients with respect and integrity. Timothy Wingert, O.D., takes that code seriously, leading one of the AOA’s most integral committees: the Ethics and Values Committee.

“The purpose of the committee is to remind everyone that they are responsible for the soul of their profession,” Dr. Wingert says. “The profession is only as strong as the members, and all of them have a responsibility to keep the profession on an upright course.”

Dr. Wingert has been the committee chair for two years and has been involved for four years. His leadership position has also led to opportunities outside of the AOA. Dr. Wingert was recently invited to contribute an article to a German optometry journal. His paper, Ethical Considerations in Optometry was published in late August.

“The paper examines the differences between a profession and a trade, and how these ethics have evolved,” Dr. Wingert says. “I traced the evolution from the American Association of Opticians to the AOA, and the development of the Optometric Oath.”

The article goes on to examine the Optometric Oath, exploring the meaning of each statement for both the provider and the patient.

Ethics have been a touchstone over Dr. Wingert’s 30-year career, so he was happy to share the mission and vision of the EVC.

What is the mission of the EVC?

The Ethics and Values Committee exists to remind members that optometry is a profession—not simply a trade or technical application—and professions are defined by their ethical standards. It's designed to address issues that arise in practice and encourage providers to consider how they ethically handle them.

The committee meets in person once a year, with additional virtual meetings to determine topics and select experts to explore them.

What kind of work does the EVC produce?

We develop papers on common clinical practice situations and present them on AOA EyeLearn through the AOA website. Some of our past papers have explored how burnout may affect your practice or the difference between research and patient care. Once published, they are available to AOA members indefinitely and are updated periodically as the greater optometry landscape changes.

Topics usually begin as submissions from an AOA member. When someone encounters an ethical issue in their practice, they can submit it through the Ask AOA contact form or reach out to anyone on the EVC, and the committee will evaluate it and potentially develop a paper addressing the concern for the broader membership.

Papers are developed collectively by the committee, though sometimes outside expertise is invited. When developing the burnout paper, the committee collaborated with an AOA member who was completing a Ph.D. thesis on the impact of burnout on practice. All papers undergo committee review and editing before publication.

What case studies are in the works?

The committee currently has several papers in various stages of development. The next two papers released will be Telehealth in Optometric Care and The Ethics of Offering a ‘Free Eye Exam’ Contingent on Purchase of Spectacles.

What projects and goals does the EVC have for the remainder of the year and into 2026?

We will be focused on completing the next two papers and releasing them. We’re also discussing working with the Quality Improvement and Data Committee to develop a paper on the ethics of using AI in your practice. If you don’t understand your AI, you don’t know if it’s doing a good job or a bad job with your patients.

Just like the internet, not everything you see with AI is true. You must understand it to determine whether it’s appropriate for patient care.

How can people get involved with the EVC?

You can express your interest by filling out the AOA Volunteer Interest Form or reaching out to me or another committee member. We strive to maintain a balance between more experienced practitioners and those new to the field, as well as between urban and rural providers. We’re always interested in keeping a fresh outlook on the committee.