Safe Surgery Coalition

“Tennessee patients deserve quality eye care — not shortcuts.” In a new Chattanooga Times Free Press op-ed, Paul Pruett, MD — president of the Tennessee Society of Eye Surgeons — warns that SB2076/HB1952 could lower surgical safety standards in Tennessee. timesfreepress.com/news/2026/mar/…

"Our vision is precious."  Ohio medical leaders urge state lawmakers to reject SB 36. Eye surgery is too delicate to hand the scalpel to someone who isn't a medical doctor or trained surgeon. cleveland.com/opinion/2025/1…

Supporters of SB 36 in Ohio claim we need more access to eye care, but 93% of Ohioans already live within a 30-minute drive of an ophthalmologist. Lowering surgical standards isn't the solution.  cleveland.com/opinion/2025/1…

A 32-hour course is woefully inadequate to train someone to perform eye surgery. New Mexico’s legislators should maintain high safety standards and reject HB36. Read more about what’s at stake: santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_vie…

Vicki Rutledge warns against allowing optometrists – who are neither medical doctors nor trained surgeons – to perform eye surgery, as HB 349 in the NH legislature would do. An optometrist performed her surgery. Today she is legally blind. nhjournal.com/rutledge-when-…

🚨🚨🚨 HB 349 in the New Hampshire House is a dangerous bill that lowers surgical safety standards. It would allow providers who are NOT surgeons and never attended medical school to perform surgery on your eyes. Oppose this dangerous bill!

Eyes = precious. Surgery = serious. A NJ bill (S365) lets optometrists (no med school or surgical training) perform eye surgeries. Ophthalmologists train 12+ years & 17K+ hrs for a reason. No shortcuts in patient safety. Protect NJ vision. #njleg #njpol nj.com/opinion/2024/1…

Cutting hair ≠ eye surgery. WV lawmakers want optometrists (no med school, no surgical residency) to perform laser eye surgery. Bad haircuts grow out - eye surgery mistakes can cause permanent harm. #WVPol #WVLegis wvnews.com/prestoncountyn…

👀Help stop dangerous legislation that would lower surgical safety standards in New Hampshire. #NHPolitics safesurgerycoalition.org/vicki-rutledge…

Just how dangerous is SB440 in the New Hampshire Legislature? #NHPolitics Watch, and learn more: safesurgerycoalition.org/vicki-rutledge…

Warren Goldblatt, MD has an Op-Ed in Seacoast Online that highlights the dangers SB 440 in the New Hampshire House poses to Granite State patients. Lowering surgical safety standards puts patients at risk! seacoastonline.com/story/opinion/…

Erin S. Fogel, MD urges Granite Staters to contact their legislators if they are concerned about the threat SB 440 poses to patient safety. #nhpolitics concordmonitor.com/My-Turn-SB-440…

Anthony J. Correnti, MD & Ahad A. Fazelat, MD have a powerful Op-Ed in the New Hampshire Union Leader exploring the ways in which SB 440 in the New Hampshire House is dangerous legislation that puts patients’ vision at risk. unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds…

Jessica McNally, MD of Montpelier, and current President of the Vermont Ophthalmological Society, in VT Digger on legislation to lower surgical safety standard in Vermont. vtdigger.org/2024/02/28/dr-…

Optometrists (ODs) falsely claim current surgical safety standards prevent new ODs from coming to West Virginia. NOT TRUE. While the state’s population has declined, the increase in new ODs to WV continues to climb by nearly 23%. Consider this myth busted. #WVGov #WVLeg #WVPol

SB 440 in the #NHLeg would put patient safety at risk by allowing providers who are NOT medical doctors or surgeons to perform surgery on and around the eye. @HowardPearlNH @SharonCarsonNH @TeamRebeccaNH @DebrasATeam - OPPOSE this dangerous bill! #NHPolitics

ICYMI: Dr. Charles Francis, MD, MS has a powerful Op-Ed in the Herald-Dispatch in which he urges the legislature to reject HB 4783 that would allow non-surgeons who’ve never been to medical school to perform surgery on your eyes! #WVLeg #WVPol #WVGov herald-dispatch.com/opinion/charle…

Kimberly Licciardi, MD on SB 440 in the NH Senate: “It is imperative that we do not compromise the safety of patients in New Hampshire by diluting surgical safety standards.” @HowardPearlNH @SharonCarsonNH @TeamRebeccaNH @DebrasATeam #NHPolitics nhjournal.com/licciardi-sb-4…

CONFIRMED: In Iowa “HF 347 would allow unqualified providers to inject anesthesia into your eyelid and perform invasive scalpel surgery — with no surgical training requirements!” The Cedar Rapids Gazette: “We give this ad an A for the claims measured.” thegazette.com/fact-checker-p…

Robert I. Fish, M.D. on H.B. 1233 in ColoradoPolitics.com: “I think most Coloradans would agree when it’s their vision or a loved one’s on the line, no eye surgery is minor.” #copol #coleg coloradopolitics.com/opinion/why-ta…

Robert I. Fish, M.D. on H.B. 1233 in ColoradoPolitics.com: “If this bill moves forward in its current form, it will risk the safety of Colorado patients, but it will NOT reduce health-care costs or increase access to care.” #copol #coleg coloradopolitics.com/opinion/why-ta…