National Glaucoma Society: Topics

Case of the Month

Topics: What's Worse Than a Migraine?; Uveitic Glaucoma; Episodic Damage to the RNFL; The Importance of Risk Factors for Younger Patients; Glaucoma and Retinal Pathologies; Bilateral NAION; Neuroretinal Rim Defects; Optic Neuritis; Iridotomy; Angle Closure Due to Topamax; Iridotomy Part II: Was It Successful?; Uveitis and Elevated IOP; Is This Glaucoma?; Anomalous Optic Nerve; Asymmetry; Detecting Visual Field Progression in Glaucoma; Unusual Side Effect of Topical Glaucoma Medication; Angle Recession; IOL Iris Defect; Glaucoma Damage in a Younger Patient; OCT and Ocular Lesions; Monitoring Conjuctival Lesions; Visual Fields vs. Optic Nerve Imaging; Sjogren's Syndrome; Duane's Retraction Syndrome; "Regular" Iritis; NAION; Giant Cell Arteritis; Complicated Uveitis; Central Serous Retinopathy; Doyne's Honeycomb Dystrophy; Vascular Issues in Glaucoma; SLT as First Line Therapy; RNFL Changes on OCT; Anomalous Optic Discs; Large Cupping vs Glaucoma; NTG and Disc Hemorrhages; Angle Closure and Cataracts; Durysta Glaucoma Implant Surgery; Pseudoexfoliation Glaucoma; Surgical Intervention for Exfoliative Glaucoma; Classic POAG; Is This Glaucoma?; Asymmetric Glaucoma; Laser PI; Low Tension Glaucoma; Treatment Options for Progression; Glaucoma Surgery and OSD; Glaucoma and Cataract Surgery; Decision to Treat or Not

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News

NEW COPE RULES FOR INTERACTIVE WEBINARS

COPE has announced a transition period from January through June, 2022, while they develop new guidelines for online CE. During this transition period, live, interactive webinars will go back to being considered Interactive Distance Learning, but post-course tests will NOT be required. Thus, the NGS live webinars will be COPE approved as Interactive Distance Learning CE starting in January 2022. A number of states consider live, interactive webinars to be live CE, without restrictions on the number of credits, including: California, New York, Minnesota, Texas, Virginia and Vermont. For optometrists in those states, the COPE changes will not have an impact. Other states may consider the live webinars to be live CE (e.g., Pennsylvania for this renewal cycle) or may treat the live webinars as online CE with restrictions on the number of hours. Check with your State Board to determine how these hours will be treated for 2022.

PENNSYLVANIA CONTINUES TO ALLOW ONLINE CE

The NGS has just been notified that the Board of Optometry will continue to allow all CE to be online for the renewal period that ends November 30. 2022. There was communication that the waiver in Pennsylvania that allowed all CE to be virtual will end on September 30, 2021. However, to avoid confusion in the middle of the renewal cycle, the Board has decided to continue to allow all CE to be online.

MASSACHUSETTS GLAUCOMA LEGISLATION

On January 1, 2021, a bill was signed into law in Massachusetts giving optometrists the ability to provide glaucoma treatment, the last state in the country to do so. This new certification requires the completion of 20 hours of clinical education and 40 hours of didactic education. The law stipulates that these courses must be offered by the Massachusetts Society of Optometrists in conjunction with the two Massachusetts optometry colleges, NECO and MCPHS. This course is the only one that will meet the requirements of the law and be approved by the Division of Professional Licensure. Thus, none of the NGS webinars can be used toward the new glaucoma certification in Massachusetts.

NEW CHANGE PASSWORD FUNCTION ON WEBSITE

There is a new feature on the NGS website if you need to change your password. Sign into your account and click "Profile" to the right of your name at the upper right of the home page. The Profile page lets you know if you are a Full member of the NGS and, if so, when your membership expires. Click on "Change Password" which is to the right of your name on the Profile page. This will bring you to a page where you can put in your old password and then create a new password.

COPE RULES ON INTERACTIVE WEBINARS IN 2021

Interactive webinars offered through December 31, 2021 will be classified as Live COPE Events. These webinars will not require a test. The NGS live webinars through 2021 will be submitted to COPE for approval as Live COPE Events. Thus, the webinars will meet the criteria for CE in most states. States may consider these webinars as live or on-line CE. More information is included in the description of the webinars on the NGS website. Some State Boards are modifying restrictions for on-line CE because of COVID-19. Check the website of your State Board of Optometry for the latest rulings.

CALIFORNIA ALLOWS LIVE WEBINARS AS LIVE CE

The California Board of Optometry now recognizes interactive courses offered live over internet platforms such as WebEx as Live CE toward the 30 hours of live continuing education required for license renewal. Courses can be live COPE courses offered by COPE's June 30, 2021 deadline or courses approved by the Board.

NEW FEATURE ON REGISTRATION PAGE

We have modified the registration page on the NGS website to eliminate duplicate registrations. If you try to register for a webinar for which you have already registered, the message "Already Registered" will appear on the page so you cannot add it to your cart. This should save time so that you do not go through the steps of registering again.

NGS 1-HOUR WEBINARS

The NGS offers one-hour webinars September-December and January - May. These webinars are included in Full NGS Membership.

NGS LIVE WEBINARS = CATEGORY 1 ABO

We have received confirmation that the NGS live webinars now count as Category 1 Education towards American Board of Optometry (ABO) certification.

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