On April 4, 2024, Optometric Physicians of Middle Tennessee (“OPMT”) filed a notice of data breach with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights after discovering that hackers gained unauthorized access to a server on the company’s computer network. In this notice, OPMT explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information. Upon completing its investigation, OPMT began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from Optometric Physicians of Middle Tennessee, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Optometric Physicians of Middle Tennessee data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the OPMT Data Breach?

The Optometric Physicians of Middle Tennessee data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, OPMT’s filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights provides some important information on what led up to the breach. OPMT also posted a website notice providing additional details about the incident.

According to these sources, on March 24, 2024, OPMT learned that it was the recent victim of a cyberattack in which hackers were able to access portions of the company’s computer system. In response, OPMT secured its system, eliminated all unauthorized access, and then began working with external cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident. Ultimately, OMPT confirmed that confidential patient information was compromised as a result of the cyberattack.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Optometric Physicians of Middle Tennessee reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted.

OPMT’s notice with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights does not provide a list of the specific information that was compromised. However, now that OPMT has filed notice of the breach, it will likely begin to send data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About Optometric Physicians of Middle Tennessee

Optometric Physicians of Middle Tennessee is an optometry practice based in Nashville, Tennessee. OPMT provides a range of eye-related services, including eye exams, emergency eye care, laser eye surgery, dry eye therapy and more. OPMT operates locations in Portland, Lafayette, Nashville, Hartsville, Lebanon, Hendersonville, and Carthage. Optometric Physicians of Middle Tennessee employs more than 25 people and generates approximately $5 million in annual revenue.