North Carolina Optometric Society

This past weekend, NCOS leaders spent time with friends and colleagues from across the southeast representing North Carolina at SECO in Atlanta, Georgia! Dr. Sean Smolenyak, President, Dr. Joanna Reiman, President-Elect, and Alyssa Barkley, Executive Director, spent time meeting with the AOA Board of Trustees and many current and potential partners. Peak the last photo to see Dr. Reiman with Sultan, a search and rescue dog that was keeping attendees safe in the exhibit hall.

On January 29th, as the NC General Assembly kicked off the 2025 long session, lawmakers and association members from across the state gathered for the annual AENC Legislative Reception. It was quite a busy night for NCOS leadership, as they caught up with and had great conversations with Sen. Ralph Hise, Rep. John Bell, Rep. Tim Reeder, MD, Rep. Jarrod Lowery, Rep. Charlie Miller, and Attorney General Jeff Jackson. NCOS looks forward to continuing to build upon these and many more relationships with our lawmakers. We thank them for all they do for the citizens of North Carolina. NCOS Representation Included: Dr. Sean Smolenyak - President, Dr. Joanna Reiman - President-Elect, Dr. Rasika Whitesell - Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Jeff Sterling - Immediate Past President, Dr. Jamie Casper - Legislative Chair, Dr. Will Sawyer - State Affairs Trustee, Dr. Kenny Bumgarner, and Alyssa Barkley - Executive Director.

Register today for our Virtual Seminar on Saturday, February 15! ?? You'll have the opportunity to earn 7 hours of COPE Accredited/NC Certified credit from the comfort of your own home. Click the link to register: https://lnkd.in/ege4cJsk

The last day to lock in the regular rate for?Fall Congress?is this Friday, November 8th! After that, prices go up by $120, so don’t miss out on this awesome deal. Looking for fun things to do in Winston-Salem the weekend of Fall Congress? Check out this Winston-Salem Activity Flyer for all the details! https://lnkd.in/eqYm65DT

Due to the impact of Hurricane Helene on Asheville and the entire western North Carolina area, the NCOS has made the difficult decision to relocate Fall Congress. With that said we are excited to announce that Fall Congress will take place at the Marriott hotel and Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem, NC. Click the link to view all the updated details: https://lnkd.in/ed2RmHNH

We are truly amazed by the outpouring of support for our optometrists in Western NC. Since Monday, Optometry's Fund for Disaster Relief received over $112,000 in contributions! Your generous donations are making a significant impact, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. A number of our NCOS members have already applied for assistance due to the damage to their homes and practices. If you haven’t had a chance to donate yet, please consider contributing to help our community in this time of need. Click the link to donate: https://lnkd.in/gfbRrUW9 AOA article: https://lnkd.in/eDGeqsdZ

The impact of Hurricane Helene was devastating to the western part of our state. The NCOS is here to help. Please let us know if you or someone you know has been affected by Hurricane Helene. We are working hard to gather information on our NC optometry family and will provide information via our Hurricane Helene Updates & Resources page at www.nceyes.org/helene.

Our deepest sympathy goes to all who are feeling the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene. We want to let you know that NCOS is here to help and can provide you with resources if you need support or if you would like to help.

Fall Congress registration is OPEN! In just FIVE days, we have over 60 registrants! Join us November 15-17 in Asheville, NC to earn 16 hours of COPE Accredited/NC Certified credit. ??? Register now to lock in the early bird rate. We'll see you soon! https://lnkd.in/ed2RmHNH

Urgent: Add Your Support to Fight Vision Plan Abuses There is growing momentum behind our ongoing effort, with?three key congressional committees?now probing questionable vision plan tactics.?Patient and consumer advocates have also joined the fight. Right now, AOA frontline advocates are having direct conversations with North Carolina U.S. Senators about how they can help stop these abuses, including by signing-on as a supporter of federal anti-vision plan abuse legislation - the DOC Access Act (H.R. 1385/S. 1424). Sen. Tillis has recently signed-on to the legislation and Sen. Budd has shown a strong interest in supporting and has shared that an outpouring of support from the state would make clear that this legislation is and should be a top priority. At the link below, you can read the petition and add your name to the growing list of supporters. Please also consider including a picture of yourself or of your practice to help personalize your request. The petition will not be made public but will be shared directly with that Senate office. This petition will only be open for signatures until September 9th, so please take action now and share with family, friends, colleagues, and anyone else you know that is fed up with vision plan abuses. https://lnkd.in/ewXkvkPX