Asheville Eye Associates Reports 147,116 Americans Affected by Cybersecurity Breach

A significant cybersecurity breach at a healthcare firm has potentially compromised the sensitive personal and health information of 147,116 Americans. The North Carolina-based optical care firm, Asheville Eye Associates, disclosed the incident in a recent filing with the Office of the Maine Attorney General. The breach, which occurred on January 31, 2025, involved an unknown attacker gaining unauthorized access to the firm's network and extracting a range of personal data, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, medical treatment reports, and health insurance records.

Asheville Eye Associates, which specializes in ophthalmology services such as cataract surgery, laser surgery for glaucoma and diabetes, LASIK, and other procedures to treat ophthalmic disorders, promptly engaged third-party specialists to secure the network and investigate the incident. The firm's comprehensive review and investigation, which concluded on April 14, 2025, identified additional individuals whose personal information was affected by the breach. The firm has since sent notification letters to impacted individuals, providing details about the cybersecurity incident and offering free credit monitoring services to those whose Social Security numbers were compromised.

The firm has not detected any instances of identity theft related to the data breach, but the potential exposure of such sensitive information raises significant concerns about the security of personal data in the healthcare sector. The incident underscores the ongoing threat of cyberattacks and the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect patient information. Asheville Eye Associates' response to the breach, including the engagement of third-party specialists and the offer of credit monitoring services, demonstrates a proactive approach to mitigating the impact of the incident on affected individuals. However, the long-term effects of the breach remain to be seen, and the firm will need to continue monitoring the situation to ensure that no further damage occurs.