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Wishing all of our members a wonderful, relaxing and well-earned

Labor Day Weekend!

NHOA is a volunteer-driven organization, and its leadership continually strives to maintain a healthy balance among professional, personal, and association responsibilities. Leadership is a team effort, and the NHOA Bylaws and Policies provide an important roadmap that allows officers to shift gears, adjust responsibilities, or transition into different roles when circumstances require.

With that in mind, the Board was presented with a Leadership Succession Plan and Officer Advancement proposal submitted by Dr. Elizabeth Reese and placed on the agenda for the Q3 NHOA Board of Directors Meeting held this summer

The long and short of it: The friendly proposal called for Drs. Reese and Loranger to swap leadership positions, allowing each to serve in the role that works best for them at this time. Keeping NHOA’s leadership team strong and moving forward was the foundation of the proposal.

Following the presentation, the Board expressed its full support for the succession plan. Members can read the full succession plan by clicking here.

To allow the succession process outlined in the NHOA Bylaws and Policies to move forward, Dr. Alison Loranger verbally submitted her resignation as President-Elect. Dr. Sowmya Srinivas accepted Dr. Loranger’s resignation and designated Dr. Elizabeth Reese to serve as interim President-Elect. A motion was then made and passed appointing Dr. Loranger to serve as interim Vice President.

The NHOA Bylaws, Article 9, Section 2, state that no person may serve as President unless they have previously held the office of President-Elect. NHOA policy further provides that the Vice President assumes the duties and responsibilities of the President-Elect when the President-Elect is unable to act.

The 2027 Election of Officers will be held during NHOA’s Annual Meeting on Sunday, October 18, 2026.

We hope to see you there!

REMINDER: EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 15, 2026!

REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE AND GET A LIMITED RUN NHOA FLEECE!

REMINDER!!!! Early Bird Registration Extended Through September 15!

When we built out the program earlier this summer, August was simply the date we placed on the calendar for Early Bird Registration. Now we have a firm deadline from our "swag" company, and that gives us the opportunity to extend Early Bird Registration through September 15, 2026.

We want this 125th Anniversary weekend to be a great and memorable experience, and we want as many attendees as possible to have access to our limited-edition NHOA 125th Anniversary fleece. It’s stylish, warm, commemorative, and something we hope you’ll enjoy long after the weekend is over.

Register by September 15 and make sure we can include you in the order!

NHOA Room Block is NEARLY Sold-Out.

Only five rooms remain for Saturday night!

Planning to join us at Wentworth by the Sea for the 125th Anniversary weekend? It's a critical time to reserve your room.

More than 95% of NHOA’s reserved room block has already been spoken for, indicating the great interest building around this milestone weekend.

Staying at the Wentworth keeps you right in the middle of the CE, receptions, anniversary activities and connections being built throughout the weekend. It also means no driving at the end of the day and more time to enjoy everything the weekend has to offer.

If you are planning to attend, we strongly encourage you to try and book your room now while NHOA-block rooms remain available.

October 16–18, 2026 | Wentworth by the Sea | Portsmouth, NH

DON'T FORGET THE WEEKEND'S PARA-OPTOMETRIC PROGRAM

Register Faster for the 125th Para Program!

IMPORTANT NOTE As we work to grow and expand the paraoptometric organization in our state, it is necessary for AOA staff in each practice to enroll in AOA Paraoptometric Membership (free to join for AOA member offices). Doing so is the only way to register for NHOA-sponsored events and to activate the “group/volume discount” registration savings. 

As a member, you'll also enjoy valuable benefits, including:

• Free access to EyeLearn courses and professional development resources
• Discounts on paraoptometric education and certification materials
• Reduced registration fees for Optometry's Meeting®
• Member-exclusive newsletters, AOA publications, and industry updates
• National networking and volunteer opportunities

Membership is FREE for support staff of AOA member doctors.

Sign up today and take advantage of these valuable benefits while simplifying your registration!

We’re building a great 4-hour Game Day CE program for Sunday, November 8 for those looking to have a productive day before settling in for the NFL action!

We’re excited to welcome Dr. Andrew Rixon, OD, FAAO, Diplomate (Glaucoma) as our featured speaker and our CE Committee is now working with Dr. Rixon to finalize the topics. The full lineup is expected by next week.

It’s shaping up to be a great way to earn 4 hours of CE; you'll be done in plenty of time for kickoff (and or leaf removal)!



WHAT TO EXPECT:

KICKOFF - 8:00 a.m. - Time Certain

CE Lecture(s) - 2 Hours

"HALF-TIME"

CE Lecture(s) - 2 hours

POST - GAME 

GAME PLAN:



• Done before the 1:00 p.m. games!
• ZOOM Platform Credentials will be emailed on Friday and will be resent one hour prior to the start of GameDay CE.
• 4 hours COPE accreditation CE - pending

New from AOA: Billing & Coding Help Desk

We’re very excited to share a new AOA member resource launched this week: the AOA Billing & Coding Help Desk™.

The Help Desk gives doctors of optometry a streamlined way to access trusted guidance on coding, reimbursement, billing questions, and related practice issues.

Members can submit questions and receive support from AOA volunteers and the Help Desk team, with an expected response time of approximately 3 to 4 business days.

For practices trying to navigate increasingly complicated coding and reimbursement requirements, having a reliable place to turn can save time, reduce uncertainty, and help support more accurate billing.

This is another tangible example of AOA membership at work, providing practical resources designed specifically for optometric practices.

Have a billing or coding question? Explore the AOA Billing & Coding Help Desk and put this new member benefit to work.

ADVOCACY CAN NEVER STOP.

Optometry Is Leading the Charge on Red Tape. We Need to Keep It That Way.

Affiliate Executive Directors learned during this week’s AOA monthly Zoom call that optometry is currently leading the way in contacting federal officials about burdensome regulatory requirements, and the FTC’s prescription acknowledgment rule is at the top of that list.

That is encouraging news. It also means we cannot let up.

The FTC requires patients to sign an acknowledgment confirming that they received their eyeglass or contact lens prescription. On paper, the requirement may appear simple. In practice, optometrists across the country are reporting added staff time, additional paperwork, patient questions, document retention requirements, and other administrative work that provides little meaningful value to either the doctor or the patient.

The FTC has estimated that the acknowledgment process takes approximately 20 seconds per patient. The AOA’s experience with practicing optometrists suggests the real-world burden can be considerably greater, often one to three minutes per patient, particularly when staff must explain the requirement, address questions or refusals, print or scan documents, and maintain records for three years.

Multiply those minutes across hundreds or thousands of patient encounters and the impact becomes much more significant. This is precisely the type of regulatory burden policymakers need to understand when evaluating whether a requirement is accomplishing enough to justify the time and expense it creates.

Optometry has their attention right now. We need to remain at the top of the conversation.

If this requirement has created additional work in your practice, the AOA is asking you to share your experience through the SBA Office of Advocacy’s Red Tape Hotline. Specific examples are especially valuable, including staff time, doctor time, administrative costs, recordkeeping responsibilities, and situations in which the requirement has created confusion or frustration for patients.

When identifying the regulation, specify:

“FTC requirement for signed patient acknowledgement for every eyeglass prescription and every contact lens prescription.”

The more real-world information optometrists provide, the stronger the case becomes that regulatory requirements should be measured not only by their intent, but by their actual value to patients and the burden they place on those providing their care.

Your AOA Member Benefit: Patient & Community Education Downloads Library

This is your exclusive, curated collection of clinical and topical educational handouts, as well as community outreach tools—ready to download and print right in your practice. These professionally designed materials, previously sold individually, are now free for AOA members and staff to support your patient education and community engagement efforts.

What's inside the library?

• Patient education materials. High-quality infographics, flyers and handouts that simplify complex conditions, topics or patient concerns.
• Interactive activity sheets and books. Engaging resources for pediatric care, school visits or community health fairs.
• Community outreach content. Leverage the AOA's public outreach and campaign resources, including social media posts, presentations, press releases and more.

Forwarding for a Friend...

NHOA is pleased to announce the relaunch of the Friday Focus Archive, giving members a convenient, one-stop resource to revisit previous editions.

We appreciate everyone’s patience while we worked through the best and most efficient way to organize and maintain the archive. The goal was not simply to post old newsletters, but to create a resource members could actually use.

The newly refreshed archive features a searchable page with quick, convenient links to previous Friday Focus editions, making it easier to find an announcement, advocacy update, event information or other item you may remember seeing along the way. The intent is to update the archives at the end of each month (at minimum).

Missed a Friday Focus? Looking for something from a previous edition? Start with the FF Archive!

Optometrist - Wolfeboro, NH

Wolfeboro Eye Associates is a community-focused optometry practice serving patients in Wolfeboro and the surrounding Lakes Region of New Hampshire. We are seeking a full-time Optometrist to join our welcoming, patient-centered practice.

This is an excellent opportunity for an optometrist who values high-quality clinical care, meaningful patient relationships, and a collaborative small-practice environment. Our team works closely together to provide comprehensive eye care, accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment plans, and an exceptional patient experience.

Position Responsibilities:

- Perform comprehensive eye examinations and evaluate visual function

- Diagnose and manage common ocular conditions

- Prescribe eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision correction solutions

- Review patient histories, perform diagnostic testing, and interpret clinical findings

- Educate patients and families regarding eye health, treatment options, and preventive care

- Coordinate referrals and follow-up care as appropriate

- Maintain thorough and accurate clinical documentation

- Collaborate with clinical staff to support efficient patient flow and high-quality care

- Stay current with advances in optometric care and clinical knowledge

- Contribute to practice growth through excellent patient care and positive patient experiences

Qualifications:

- Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree from an accredited institution

- Current New Hampshire optometry license or eligibility for licensure

- Strong clinical skills in comprehensive eye examinations and the diagnosis and management of ocular conditions

- Experience prescribing eyeglasses and contact lenses

- Proficiency with diagnostic equipment commonly used in optometric practice, including phoropters, slit lamps, refractive equipment, and imaging technologies

- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

- Commitment to compassionate, professional, and patient-centered care

- Strong organizational and time-management skills

- Ability to work collaboratively and contribute to a positive team culture

- Prior private-practice or medical-setting experience preferred

- Residency training or additional experience in medical optometry or specialty areas is a plus

What We Offer:

Wolfeboro Eye Associates provides a supportive clinical environment where an Optometrist can develop long-term relationships with patients and become an integral part of a close-knit community. We value professionalism, empathy, clear communication, and a commitment to providing excellent care to patients of all ages.

Located in beautiful Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, the practice offers the opportunity to enjoy a rewarding career while living and working in the Lakes Region.

To Apply: Please submit your CV and a brief cover letter expressing your interest in joining Wolfeboro Eye Associates.

Contact:

Lori Kirwan

(603) 738-2010

lori@wolfeboroeye.com

ABOUT THE NHOA: The Mission of the New Hampshire Optometric Association is to advance and protect the practice of Optometry to ensure the health and vision of the public.

The New Hampshire Optometric Association (NHOA) is the professional association representing the vast majority of New Hampshire’s practicing Doctors of Optometry. We have served our members and the citizens of NH since founded over 110 years ago. We are affiliated with the American Optometric Association.

Friday Focus is a weekly email newsletter dedicated to communicating important Association- and member-related news, industry updates and matters relating to practicing optometry in New Hampshire. It is a members-only weekly communication.

Member submissions for publication in Friday Focus are welcomed and appreciated. Kindly email us.