Contact

Ophthalmology Authority serves as a national reference resource covering the clinical, regulatory, and safety dimensions of ophthalmic care in the United States. This page outlines how to direct inquiries to the appropriate channel, what geographic scope the resource addresses, how to frame a message for the fastest routing, and what response timelines are realistic. Readers seeking clinical guidance should consult a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist; this resource covers reference and informational inquiries only.

How to reach this office

Inquiries directed to Ophthalmology Authority fall into three broad categories, each routed differently:

1. Editorial and factual accuracy inquiries — corrections to published content, requests to update regulatory citations (such as those referencing the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Preferred Practice Patterns, or CMS coverage determinations under 42 CFR Part 410), or identification of outdated statutory references.
2. Professional and licensing questions — inquiries about state medical board processes, the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) certification framework, or the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) residency program standards, directed as general reference questions rather than advisory requests.
3. Technical site issues — broken links, accessibility barriers under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, or page-load errors tied to specific browser environments.

All contact is handled through the site's web-based contact form. No fax line or mailing address is maintained for general inquiries. Phone consultations are not available through this office; readers requiring direct clinical or legal guidance should contact a licensed practitioner or qualified attorney independently.

Service area covered

Ophthalmology Authority covers the national United States ophthalmic care landscape. Content is calibrated to federal regulatory frameworks — including Food and Drug Administration (FDA) device approval pathways under 21 CFR Part 886 (ophthalmic devices), Medicare reimbursement structures administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) eye-safety standards in 29 CFR 1910.133 — while also mapping state-level variation where it materially affects practice or patient decision-making.

State-specific content reflects the 50-state licensing authority structure overseen by individual state medical boards, coordinated in part through the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB). Where a state has enacted rules that diverge significantly from the prevailing federal baseline — for example, scope-of-practice statutes governing optometric surgical privileges, which differ across states including Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Louisiana — that divergence is documented with reference to the applicable state statute or administrative code.

Inquiries from outside the United States may receive a response, but content on this site is not calibrated to non-US regulatory regimes such as the European Union's Medical Device Regulation (MDR 2017/745) or Health Canada frameworks.

What to include in your message

A well-structured inquiry accelerates accurate routing and reduces back-and-forth. The following elements should be included in any submission:

1. Subject category — identify whether the inquiry is editorial, regulatory reference, technical, or other.
2. Specific page or URL — if the inquiry concerns published content, provide the exact URL or page title so the relevant section can be located without ambiguity.
3. The precise claim or passage in question — quote or describe the specific sentence, figure, or regulatory citation that prompted the inquiry.
4. Proposed correction or alternative source — if a factual error is being reported, name the public document or authoritative source (e.g., a specific NIST guideline, an FDA guidance document with docket number, or a named AAO clinical statement) that contradicts the published content.
5. Contact information — a valid email address for reply. No personal health information (PHI) should be included in any submission; this channel is not a HIPAA-covered entity under 45 CFR Part 160.

Submissions that omit the specific page reference or fail to name an alternative source for claimed errors are likely to receive a delayed or generalized response, as the editorial review process requires a traceable evidentiary basis for any published correction.

Response expectations

Ophthalmology Authority operates as an editorial reference resource, not a customer service function. Response timelines reflect that distinction.

Editorial corrections are reviewed against named public sources before any change is made to published content. The review cycle for a documented factual correction averages 5 to 10 business days from receipt of a complete, source-supported submission. Corrections accepted as valid are logged and applied to the affected page; the submitter is notified by reply email.

Regulatory reference inquiries that require cross-referencing agency documents — such as CMS National Coverage Determinations (NCDs), FDA 510(k) clearance records, or ABO board certification statistics — may require up to 15 business days if the inquiry involves multiple intersecting regulatory domains.

Technical issues are triaged within 2 business days of a confirmed submission. Reproduction details (browser type, version, operating system, and a screenshot if available) accelerate resolution.

Inquiries that request clinical interpretation — for example, asking whether a specific ICD-10-CM code (from the annual NCHS release of the International Classification of Diseases) applies to a particular diagnosis — are outside the editorial scope of this office and will receive a reply directing the sender to an appropriate licensed professional or official coding resource such as the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

No submission is reviewed as a substitute for professional medical, legal, or regulatory compliance advice. The distinction between reference information and professional consultation is defined in part by the Federal Trade Commission's guidance on health claim substantiation and by professional licensing statutes in each state.

Privacy Policy

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)