1
As my tenure concludes as State Board President (Member since 2004,
Treasurer from 2004- 2010 and President from 2010-2012), I find myself
a bit teary eyed. I have immensely enjoyed learning from various people
associated with the State Board as well as members from State Boards
across the country and the many individuals within ARBO. Also, I have
learned from the many challenges we have faced in Optometry through-
out the years and have taken pride in all the accomplishments.
In this edition of the In Focus newsletter, you will read about some of
the Board’s accomplishments as well as a few initiatives and projects that
were implemented. Here are just a few of the topics included: the insti-
tution of an even-numbered year renewal cycle; the 2011QEI Educational Project; the development of regu-
lation for Sanctioning Guidelines to be used in disciplinary cases; the proposed regulation to permit CE for
attendance at Board Meetings; and the posting of links to information for licensees in need of treatment and
rehabilitation services.
I want to thank my State Board mentor, David Reed, O.D., without whose example and guidance I would
not have been as effective a leader for our profession. A very special thanks is given to my wonderful hard
working Board: Jo Anne Brilliant, O.D., Kisha Fields Matthews, Stephen Kwan, O.D., Phyllis Strickland,
O.D., Frederick Walsh, Ph.D. and Brian Woolf, O.D. I also extend a special thank you to staff who keep
Board operations running smoothly: Patricia Bennett, MSW, Board Administrator, Delia Turano Schadt,
Assistant Attorney General, Board Counsel and Kecia Dunham, Licensing Coordinator.
A very sincere thanks and appreciation goes to Jo Anne Brilliant, O.D. for her selfless dedication and hard
work on behalf of the State Board and for graciously chairing the QEI (Quality Enhancement and Improve-
ment Committee) so effectively and successfully.
I was recently notified that Delia Schadt, Board Counsel, has accepted the position as Commissioner for the
Maryland State Worker's Compensation Commission. I would be remiss not to thank and acknowledge
Delia for all her professional and legal help throughout the last eight years. I extend my very best wishes to
her for lots of success in all her future endeavors.
Congratulations to the elected all female Board officers beginning January 2012; Jo Anne Brilliant, O.D.,
President, Phyllis Strickland, O.D., Treasurer, and Kisha Fields Matthews, Secretary.
At this time, I feel confident leaving the State Board in May 2012 knowing that we are in capable hands. It is
wonderful to see colleagues step up and lead us into the future of Optometry. Thank you for allowing me
the opportunity to serve. The entire Board joins me in extending our best wishes to all for a Happy, Healthy
and Prosperous New Year.
Sincerely yours,
Thomas Azman, O.D.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
JANUARY 2012
Final Presidential Address
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Final Presidential Address
1
Welcome New Licensees 2
Board Meetings 2
Board Members 2
Welcome On Board 2
Online Renewal 3
Major Changes Coming in
2013
3
Continuing Education
Category/Topic Maximum
Hours
3
General Continuing
Education Requirements
3
QEI Committee News 4
TPA Audit 2011 4
Health Information
Technology Survey
4
The Consumer’s Eye 5
Health Care Update 2012 5
Regulation Update 5
ARBO News 5
Minimum Optometric
Examination
6
Help Needed? 6
Social Media 6
Board Address
Board Staff
7
The Board is Going Green 6
Does The Board Disclose
Your Address To The Public?
7
Change of Address
Notification
7
Maryland Board
of Examiners in
Optometry
2
Board Meetings
The Regular Session of Board meetings is open
to the public and held at 4201 Patterson
Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215 in room #105,
at 9:30 a.m. The schedule for 2012 is as
follows:
January 25, 2012
March 28, 2012
May 23, 2012
July 25, 2012
September 26, 2012
November 14, 2012
PAGE 2
There are 868optometrists with active
license status and 334 with inactive
licensure status. The Board welcomes
the following licensees to the state.
Michelle Brenna, O.D
Tiffany Chan, O.D.
Ryan Doran, O.D.
Charles Druckman, O.D.
Rasha El Rachmani, O.D.
David Ephraim, O.D.
Kristen Glasgow, O.D.
Leonard Goldstein, O.D.
Kathryn Gurganus, O.D.
Jessica Hall, O.D.
David Holland, O.D.
Chee Hur, O.D.
Ejemeare Igene, O.D.
Christen Kendrick, O.D.
Samala Khan, O.D.
James Kim, O.D.
Christine Kroll, O.D.
Susan Lathrop, O.D.
Nicole Le, O.D.
Erin Lee, O.D.
Bobby Lein, O.D.
Adam LePosa, O.D.
Mallory Lovett, O.D.
Monica Ma, O.D.
Amanda Marks, O.D.
Michael Merry, O.D.
David Meltzer, O.D.
Sally Mikhail, O.D.
Shahrzad Nejabat, O.D.
Maribel Obenza, O.D.
Yewande Olagoke, O.D.
Ahava Oppenheimer, O.D.
Carolyn Ormes, O.D.
Diana Pan, O.D.
Nishith Patel, O.D.
Maria Pham, O.D.
Jonathan Reynon, O.D.
Lorraine Riggers-Lassman, O.D.
Judy Samattasribootr, O.D.
Jennifer Sun, O.D.
Binita Tailor, O.D.
Melanie Tarutani, O.D.
Welcome New Licensees
Board Members
Jo Anne Brilliant, O.D., President
Chair, Quality Enhancement & Improvement Committee
Term Expiration 5/31/2015
Phyllis M. Strickland, O.D., Treasurer
ARBO Liaison
Term Expiration 5/31/2012
Kisha Fields Matthews, Secretary
Consumer Member
Legislative Liaison
Term Expiration 5/31/2012
Thomas Azman, O.D., Immediate Past President
Rehabilitation Committee
Term Expiration 5/31/2012
Stephen D. Kwan, O.D., Board Member
Continuing Education Committee
Credentialing Committee
Legislative Liaison
Term Expiration 5/31/2013
Frederick J. Walsh, Ph.D., Consumer Member
Term Expiration 5/31/2014
Brian T. Woolf, O.D. - Board Member
Continuing Education Committee
Term Expiration 5/31/2015
Welcome on Board
Ja’Nai Tellis, O.D.
Abby Thompson, O.D.
Chad Tiede, O.D.
Toledo-Espiett, O.D.
Candice Tolud, O.D.
Julie Tran, O.D.
William Velardi, O.D.
Julia Vendittis, O.D.
Dawn Williams, O.D.
Ashley Wong, O.D.
Michael Wong, O.D.
Katelin Zaluski, O.D.
Sepideh Zarani, O.D.
Solomon Zuckerbrod, O.D.
Dr. Brian Woolf is a third-generation private practice optometrist serving the regions of Baltimore City
and Pasadena, Maryland. He specializes in disease management, complex diagnoses and emergency care. In
his downtown Baltimore office, which is located on East Monument Street, he strives to meet the health
needs of local residents who don’t always have the means or required insurance to cover the cost of
care. In addition to serving his patient base, Dr Woolf has been an active member of Maryland’s optomet-
ric community. He is a past President and member of the Anne Arundel County Optometric Society,
where he planned educational, training and social events for area optometrists. In addition, Brian regularly
offers and/ or coordinates continuing education courses. Dr Woolf is also a past Board member of the Board of Directors for the
Polakoff Foundation, which is heavily engaged in the fight against glaucoma. Dr Woolf is committed to protecting the rights of pa-
tients while empowering his fellow doctors to practice optometry in a professional and reasonable environment. He values practi-
cal and varied topics for continuing education, and he is focused on ensuring that Maryland optometrists meet their mandated re-
quirements while learning useful, new information. Dr Woolf is a graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry, where he was a
member of the Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society. He is currently a candidate for Fellowship in the American
Academy of Optometry. He lives in Baltimore with his wife and daughter.
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PAGE 3
The following information summarizes Maryland’s continuing education requirements for optometrists to renew their li-
censes. According to COMAR 10.28.02.06 (A), each optometrist is responsible for obtaining proof of hour credits and main-
taining this documentation for inspection by the Board for 4 years after the date of renewal. Maryland requires up to 50
hours every two years. For licensees with licenses that expire on June 30, 2012, your CE hours must be within the time pe-
riod beginning with the date of licensure and ending on June 30, 2012
TPA Certified optometrists are required to complete 50 hours and 30 of those hours must be in the use and management
of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents. Current CPR certification is required.
DPA Certified optometrists are required to complete 36 hours and 6 of those hours must be in the use of diagnostic phar-
maceutical agents. Current CPR certification is required.
Non Certified optometrists are required to complete 36 hours.
The Board accepts continuing education programs that are either Maryland Board approved or COPE ap-
proved. Programs are categorized as either general or therapeutic. The following COPE codes are accepted
as therapeutic: GL, PO, RS, AS, PS, NO, PH, PD, SD, OP.
General Continuing Education Requirements
CE Category/ Topic Maximum Hours
Review the full text of regulation, COMAR 10.28.02—Continuing Education Requirements. There is a link on the
Board’s website. Listed below is a summary:
CE Prep and Delivery 12 Hours Journal/ Online CE with Post Test 20 Hours
Clinical Observation 6 Hours CPR 3 Hours
Ethics 4 Hours Practice Management 4 Hour
Pro Bono Work 6 Hours Published Papers 12 Hours
2011 RECAP
The renewal cycle began with 838 active licensees in April
2011. Of that number, 714 renewed, 23 placed their licenses
on inactive status and the remainder did not renew. A total
of 159 licensees were selected to participate in the 20% ran-
dom continuing education which yielded a 99% compliance
rate.
UPCOMING RENEWAL IN 2012
The Board’s first even-numbered year license renewal proc-
ess will begin in April 2012. In an effort to maintain a more
consistent fund balance, the state legislature recommended
that the Board implement a staggered renewal cycle. Prior
to May 2010, all licenses expired on June 30 in odd-
numbered years. However, effective May 2010, the Board
established its first staggered renewal cycle to be held in an
even-number year. All new licenses issued from the effective
date through December 2011 will expire on June 30, 2012
and will be renewed for a 2 year period, through June 30, 2014.
MAJOR CHANGES COMING IN 2013
The majority of the Board’s licensees
hold licenses that expire on June 30,
2013. Plans are underway for the Board to launch and
implement a major change in the 2013 renewal process
that will affect 50% of its licensees. The goal of the plan is
two-fold; 1. to maintain one-half of the licensure base on
the odd-numbered year cycle and 2. to move the
remaining one-half of the licensure base to an even-
numbered renewal cycle. As you can imagine, this is quite
an undertaking and all of the details and logistics have yet
to be sorted out. However, information will be
communicated as the specifics of the plan unfold over the
next several months. As stated earlier, this move to a
staggered renewal cycle was a recommendation made by
the legislature in an effort to maintain a more consistent
and stabilized fund balance. With renewals occurring
every two years, historically, the Board’s fund balance has
exceeded the target of 30% of its expenditure budget in
those years.
ONLINE RENEWAL
4
QEI (Quality Enhancement and Improvement) Committee News Jo Anne Brilliant, O.D., Chair
TPA AUDIT 2011
KUDOS TO THE COMMITTEE
By now, you have received the QEI Continuing Education Project. If you have any questions or concerns completing the project, please feel free
to contact me at [email protected]. Remember, this is a way to earn 6 hours of CE for the successful completion of all 3 sections. Partial
credit of between 1 and 5 hours will be given for passing scores on each section. This project required much collaboration and I have to give
kudos to the QEI Committee. Their hard work and diligence made this project possible. I would like to express my gratitude to Kelliann Dignam,
O.D., Michele Kupfer, O.D., Kelechi Mezu-Nnabue, O.D., Elliott Myrowitz, O.D., and Valerie Seligson, O.D. . I would also like to thank Patricia
Bennett, MSW, Board Administrator, and Kecia Dunham, Licensing Coordinator for keeping us on track and making our efforts a reality. At this
time, I would like to welcome our newest Committee member, Sunni Houston Scott, O.D., F.A.A.O. We eagerly look forward to her contribu-
tion as we move forward.
WELCOME SUNNI!
Dr. Sunni Houston Scott, O.D. specializes in primary eye care, glaucoma, diabetic and ocular disease eye exams at University of Maryland Eye
Associates. Dr. Houston Scott serves as an instructor in the University of Maryland clinical externship program for optometry students. She pur-
sued and received her O.D. at the New England College of Optometry in 2008, graduating as a member of Beta Sigma Kappa and with the Class
of 1969 Scholarship for Clinical Excellence. Dr. Houston Scott completed her residency in Ocular Disease at the Baltimore VA Medical Center,
with external rotations at Johns Hopkins. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and serves on the following committees as a
mentor and/or representative: Fellowship Mentor for American Academy of Optometry, New England School of Optometry Alumni Admissions
Representative, University of Maryland Compliance Committee Member and the Board’s QEI Committee. Dr. Scott has given lectures and pres-
entations at the American Academy of Optometry, Salus University and SECO International. Dr. Houston Scott graduated from Maryvale Pre-
paratory School and received her B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland in 2003, graduating with
the following honors: Cum Laude, Psi Chi Sigma Xi and Omicron Delta Kappa.
GETTING TO KNOW US
I wanted to take this opportunity to share some brief bio sketches of the individuals who have been serving the Board as members of the QEI
Committee. This committee is comprised of dedicated practitioners who not only provided valuable insight and work in compiling the continuing
education project, but also give of their time in reviewing the hundreds of patient records received at each TPA audit cycle. Their work is to be
commended.
Kelliann Dignam, O.D. is an attending optometrist at the VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore VA Medical Center. She is an Adjunct
Assistant Clinical Professor for the SUNY State College of Optometry, the New England College of Optometry and the Pennsylvania College of
Optometry at Salus University. She has served on the Quality Enhancement and Improvement Committee for the past nine years, and has en-
joyed playing an active role in the continuing education of Maryland's Optometrists.
Michelle Kupfer, O.D. graduated from the New England College of Optometry in 1990. She then served as the Director of Contact Lens
Service and Low Vision Service for Sinai Hospital's Krieger Eye Institute. Dr. Kupfer was a consultant to the Quality Enhancement and Improve-
ment Committee of the Maryland Board of Examiners in Optometry from 1997 until 2000, where she now serves as a committee member. She is
also a member of the Clinical Guideline Review Committee, Inter-Rater Reliability Committee, and Fraud & Abuse Investigative Unit for Advan-
tica Eyecare. Dr. Kupfer currently resides in Reisterstown with her husband and three daughters.
Kelechi Mezu-Nnabue, O.D. is a young African American female clinical optometrist practicing in Maryland at Aqua Vision Center. She is a
fellow of the World Council of Optometry and has been a National Board Clinical Examiner since 2005. Dr. Mezu also has a Doctoral Degree in
Public Health. She has organized and participated in medical missions to help disadvantaged people in the United States and other countries. She is
married and has a lovely daughter.
Elliott Myrowitz, O.D. MPH is chief of Optometric Services at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute. He is a Diplomate in the American
Academy of Optometry, Cornea, Contact lens, and Refractive Technologies section. While many major league baseball teams frequently change
managers and staff he has remained the team optometrist for the Baltimore Orioles for over 20 years.
Valerie Seligson, O.D. has been practicing in Maryland for most of her career. She has served in various capacities to advance Optometry in
Maryland. Since 2007, Dr Seligson has been a member of the QEI committee. Currently she is working at the Wilmer Eye Institute in Columbia.
Effective with online license renewals in 2012, licensees will be asked to complete a questionnaire posted by the Maryland Health Care Commis-
sion. The survey includes a few questions about your use of computers and electronic health records (EHR) in your office as well as information
about incentives for EHR use.
The QEI Committee kicked-off the first annual record review program in 1996 following the passage of the therapeutics legislation in 1995. After
thoughtful discussion and a careful evaluation of the program, the committee has decided to make a slight adjustment in the process. Effective
with the record review for calendar year 2011, which will be performed during the summer of 2012, TPA certified optometrists will no longer be
required to submit patient logs listing all therapeutic patients. However, each optometrist who is audited, will submit to the Board for review10
TPA records selected by the licensee, of which five are glaucoma co-management records, if applicable. TPA certified optometrists will be ran-
domly selected, however, those who were audited in either 2007, 2008, 2009 or 2010 will be excluded from the 2011 record review process.
Licensees are reminded that therapeutic visits are those during which TPAs are administered and/or prescribed. This streamlined process will
enable both board staff and committee members to complete the process within a shorter timeframe and provide feedback to those audited in a
more timely fashion.
Health Information Technology Survey
5
THE CONSUMER’S EYE
Just a few reminders about the new Medicare billing and coding rules for Optometrists who work with Medicare. The deadline for submitting all
electronic forms using the new Version 5010 is 1/1/2012. You should already be using or at least familiar with the ICD-10 codes and how to use
them as they are required under the new guidelines. A great resource for ICD-10 and how it affects the medicare billing Optometrist can be
found at the following link. www.cms.gov/ICD10/06_MedicareFeeforServiceProviderResources
Also don't forget that it's not too late to qualify for the full Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. To get the maximum incentive pay-
ment, Medicare eligible professionals must begin participation by 2012. Another link to help you with the process is
www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/01_Overview
Last but not least, the Affordable Health Care act is a major change to the healthcare industry and has many changes rolling out over the next
12 months. Two websites to help keep you up to date are as follows. www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/healthcare-overview
www.healthcare.gov/law
Brian Woolf, O.D.
2011 Minorities Health Disparities Conference Highlights
Greetings! This past fall, I had the pleasure of attending the Maryland Health Disparities Conference in College Park, MD. The event was truly
insightful and full of valuable information regarding issues in healthcare disparity. As a consumer board member, my “eyes were opened” to the
importance of promoting healthcare education within our communities. One program that was introduced at the conference was Health Leads:
Building Capacity and Future Leaders in Healthcare. The presentation was hosted by a current student at the University of Maryland who devotes
an enormous amount of time facilitating projects that promote healthcare awareness within communities throughout Maryland and Washington
D.C. For me, it was a call to action for our healthcare community to elevate the level of education and promote leadership in healthcare globally.
We all have a responsibility and can make a difference in minimizing the gap in healthcare disparity for future generations.
Kisha Fields Matthews
Consumer Board Member
ARBO’s 92
nd
Annual meeting was a great success. It took place June 12-14, 2011 in Salt Lake City Utah. The new ARBO President is Michael
Ohlson, O.D. of Iowa and new Vice-President, Ernest Schlabach, O.D. of Virginia. ARBO welcomed two new members from Canada, the Mani-
toba and the Saskatchewan Associations and Colleges of Optometry. ARBO’s membership consists of regulatory boards from 10 Canadian Provi-
dences and 54 US States and territories.
COPE continues to be proactive in the continued competence of our licensed professionals by implementing the On-Site Review Program.
This program increases oversight of COPE accredited CE, by allowing credentialing of existing COPE Reviewers to perform on-site reviews. The
anonymous on-site reviews of COPE accredited courses provide assurance that COPE events meet standards for licensure renewal.
ARBO represents the jurisdictions that use NBEO Part III Clinical Skills Examination (CSE) results for the purposes of licensure. ARBO fully
endorsed the establishment of a centralized National Center of Clinical Testing in Optometry (NCCTO), testing center for the administration of
Part III (CSE) of the National Boards. The test center located in Charlotte, NC administered its first assessment in August 2011. This one site
Clinical Skills Exam (CSE) will provide uniformity in scoring, and the same criterion-referenced goals for all candidates.
ARBO’s OE TRACKER achieved a major milestone when the one millionth CE attendance record was uploaded into the database in August
2011. More attendance data than ever before is being sent to OE TRACKER by optometrist and licensing boards to electronically track, report,
and audit CE attendance. CE administrators and providers submit attendance information directly to ARBO, but ODs can also fax their CE cer-
tificates to the ARBO office to have their hours entered into the OE TRACKER. The OE TRACKER can provide ODs an analysis of the hours
they have earned and the number of hours needed to meet their current renewal requirements. Optometrist can also have text or emails sent
to remind them when it is time to renew their license. New graduates are assigned OE TRACKER numbers upon creation of the National Board
Of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) profile, and by some institutions as a student ID in lieu of a social security number. ARBO is recommending
that boards implement a 100 percent continuing education audit during license renewal with the use of the OE TRACKER data. The Maryland
Board of Optometry requires all licensees to record their OE TRACKER number at all continuing education courses. For more information on
how OE TRACKER can assist you in your license renewal process, please contact the ARBO office @ 704-970-2710 or [email protected]
.
Phyllis Strickland, O.D.
ARBO Liaison
Sanctioning Guidelines
The Board has completed and approved its draft sanctioning guidelines regulation for use in disciplinary cases. The process includes a Departmen-
tal review and a public comment period. At the conclusion of the process, the final regulation will be promulgated. The effective date will be
sometime in 2012 and information will be posted on the Board’s website.
CE for Board Meeting Attendance
The Board has submitted a draft regulation to permit licensees up to 4 credit hours per renewal cycle for attendance at public sessions of Op-
tometry Board meetings. Certificates of attendance will be issued to those in attendance. The effective date will again be in 2012. Visit the Board’s
website for updates.
The Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry
Healthcare Updates 2012
ARBO NEWS
REGULATION UPDATE
6
The Board encourages all licensees to be familiar with the provisions of this statute and to continue adherence to these
requirements in your practice. According to the Annotated Code of Maryland § 11-208, Minimum optometric
examination.
(a) A licensed optometrist shall perform a minimum optometric examination which shall include:
(1) Reviewing a patient’s history, past prescriptions and specifications when available;
(2) Visual analysis;
(3) Ophthalmoscopy of internal eye;
(4) Tonometry without anesthetic when indicated or for a patient over 40 years of age;
(5) Muscle balance examination;
(6) Writing of lens formula and other prescription data when needed as well as specific instructions
for future care; and
(7) Subsequent progress evaluation when indicated.
(b) A licensed optometrist shall maintain thorough records of all testing procedures, results, and case disposi
tions in accordance with § 4-403 of the Health - General Article.
(c) A licensed optometrist shall have on hand all instrumentation and equipment, in good working condition,
required to carry out the procedures for the minimum examination under this section.
MINIMUM OPTOMETRIC EXAMINATION
As a professional healthcare practitioner, are you in need of information about treatment and rehabilitation resources
for substance abuse or other physical, emotional, or mental conditions? The Board has a link on its website where you
can get general information about its Rehabilitation Committee and services available throughout the state. Should you
seek or require service, that information would remain confidential and therefore would not be shared with the com-
mittee or the Board.
HELP NEEDED ?
THE BOARD IS GOING GREEN
In an effort to conserve the earth’s resources, to cut down on the volume of paper used in the office and to reduce
printing and supply costs, the Board will begin to communicate electronically with licensees via email marketing using
Constant Contact. The use of this communication tool will enable the Board to communicate more frequently with
licensees. The 2012 issue of the In Focus newsletter will be the Board’s first mass email campaign. The Board will also
communicate with licensees regarding the renewal process, newly enacted legislation and regulations and other events
and activities that may be points of interest. If you do not have an email address on file with the Board or if your ad-
dress is not current, please submit your address as soon as possible. The Board wants to ensure that all licensees re-
ceive all of its communications. The Board appreciates your cooperation in this cost and resource savings endeavor.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The Board will have its Facebook page up and running in the New Year. Be sure to look us up!
7
Maryland Board of Examiners in Optometry
4201 Patterson Avenue, Room 307
Baltimore, Maryland 21215-2299
Phone: 410-764-4710
Fax: 410-358-2906
optometry@ dhmh.state.md.us
www.dhmh.maryland.gov/optometry
BOARD STAFF
Patricia G. Bennett, MSW, Administrator
Kecia Dunham, Licensing Coordinator
Michael Conti, AAG, Interim Board Counsel
Larry Schuyler, Board Investigator
Board Regulation, COMAR 10.28.03.08, requires that an optometrist report a change of address within 30 days of be-
ginning a practice in a new location. Please complete and mail or fax the following as required:
CHANGE OF ADDRESS NOTIFICATION
Name: ______________________________________________________________ License # ___________________
Old Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
City State Zip Code
Current Telephone Number: __________________________ Email Address ________________________________
New Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
City State Zip Code
Effective date of change:__________________
Optometrist Signature: _____________________________________________ Date __________________________
Mail to: Maryland Board of Examiners in Optometry
4201 Patterson Avenue, Room 307
Baltimore, MD 21215-2299
Fax to: (410) 358-2906
DOES THE BOARD DISCLOSE YOUR ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC?
YES! Under the Maryland Public Information Act (“PIA”), the public is granted access, or can be denied access, to records of all kinds,
and of all units of State government, including the health occupation boards. The basic mandate of the PIA is to enable people to have
access to government records without unnecessary cost or delay. The general rule favors the public’s right to information. In order for
the Board to deny inspection of records , the materials must fall within a statutory exception.
Please be advised that a licensee may NOT have his/her contact information with the Board (business telephone number and busi-
ness address, or home address if the business address is not available) kept private. If requested by a member of the public, the
Board must disclose this information. In addition, under the statute, the Board must disclose, upon request, a licensee’s educational
and occupational background, professional qualifications and orders resulting from formal disciplinary actions.
If the Board only has one address of record for you, it will disclose it upon request. Therefore, please notify the Board as to which ad-
dress you would like for the Board to disclose to the public and make certain that the Board has the address on record.
