Optometry’s 10 biggest stories in 2015

This was a huge year for Optometry Times. Let’s take a look back at the stories you thought were most important or most interesting this year.

We chose stories based on the number of page views on our website. These top stories garnered the most clicks during 2015.

10. How to manage adenoviral conjunctivitis

We need to get into the wayback machine for Number 10 story.

Tammy Than, MS, OD, FAAO, and colleagues had the right story at the right time.

Remember seeing Bob Costas cover the Olympics from Sochi, Russia? Remember how we first saw one eye with conjunctivitis, then both? Remember shouting advice to your TV screen? (Or maybe that was just us.)

This story shared important information about diagnosing and treating the common yet annoying adenoviral conjunctivitis.

9. AOA fights back against 1-800 CONTACTS-backed state legislation

1-800 CONTACTS has been in the news this year due to its attempt to block unilateral pricing policies (UPP) for contact lenses.

The American Optometric Association (AOA) worked to prevent that from happening.

And stay tuned because we’ll see more of this in 2016.

8. Vision therapy: A top 10 must-have list

Another 2014 story makes an appearance.

This is the first story Marc Taub, OD, MS, FAAO, FCOVD, had written for us about vision therapy, and you showed us that you were interested.

Dr. Taub’s helpful advice about what you need in your vision therapy practice was concise, practical, and easy to understand with his great pictures.

Dr. Taub’s list was so popular that we asked him to write a follow-up list of more vision therapy tools he uses in his practice. Check that story out HERE.

7. The diagnoses you shouldn’t be missing

Our coverage of this lecture by Andrew Morgenstern, OD, FAAO, at the 2015 American Optometric Association (AOA) Optometry’s Meeting clearly spoke to you.

Dr. Morgenstern aimed to change the way ODs look at patients in the chair in order to avoid missing some important clues.

He outlined 10 symptoms which can hide important diagnoses.

Check them out.

6. What your patients are tweeting about you

This was the first story we ran sharing what your patients are tweeting, and you seemed to have as much fun reading it as we did putting it together.

You’ll see more of these throughout 2016. Although we find these tweets funny, they can also give you insight into what patients are really thinking when they’re at your office.

This was another story that was so popular we did it again a few months later. Take a look at this story HERE.

5. Blink in-home vision test worries ODs

EyeNetra’s Blink and its cadre of “visioneers” raised the hackles of many ODs after it launched services in New York City

The convenience factor is big: Visioneers visit a patient’s home or office, perform testing in about 20 minutes, and provide a prescription signed by an OD within 24 hours.

Both optometrists and optometric organizations were unhappy.

Read the story to find out details.

4. J&J announces plans to discontinue Acuvue Advance, introduces Acuvue Oasys six-month supply pack

Another appearance of a 2014 story.

This news about Acuvue Advance and Acuvue Oasys was part of our 2014 American Optometric Association (AOA) Optometry’s Meeting coverage.

The fact that this story is in our top 10 a year later shows that product information is important to optometrists.

3. A different approach to treating demodex blepharitis

This story, published in January 2014, is our oldest story to hit the top 10.

And it’s clear why: Demodex is still an important topic, and many of you still want to know more about it.

Author Scott Schachter, OD, provided solid information on diagnosing and treating this annoying little critter. If you haven’t read it, take a look.

2. States where ODs make bank

People always want to know how they stack up against everyone else, and optometrists are no exception. Our top two stories show that.

This story showed the top five highest and lowest paying states in the U.S. for optometrists. Of course, these numbers are average, and your practice could be exploding or slowing down.

Check out which states will allow you to bring home the bacon (or not)-and what your colleagues in those states have to say.

1. Best and worst states to practice in 2015

Our top story is top by a mile-this story garnered almost four times as many page views as the next story on the list!

This comprehensive list tells you what makes a state great to practice in-or why a state may not be a great place to practice. Your colleagues weigh in as well.

Check out where your state ranks on the list.