Bill > S2334

This bill aims to modernize optometric patient care by expanding the scope of practice for optometrists. It allows licensed optometrists, who meet specific qualifications and pass an examination, to utilize and prescribe a wider range of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, including certain oral medications and topical treatments, for diagnosing, preventing, managing, and treating eye conditions. This expansion includes the ability to prescribe medications listed in schedules III, IV, V, and VI of the controlled substances act, with a limitation on narcotic analgesics in schedule III. The bill also permits optometrists to administer epinephrine or adrenaline for anaphylaxis treatment and clarifies that optometrists cannot treat systemic diseases, perform invasive surgery, or administer certain types of injections, except for anaphylaxis treatment. Furthermore, it mandates that optometrists refer patients with congenital glaucoma or those requiring surgical treatment for glaucoma to a qualified physician, and requires optometrists to participate in patient safety reporting. Insurers providing coverage to optometrists will also be required to report annual loss data to the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety and Medical Error Reduction to help develop best practices for error prevention. Finally, the bill outlines the examination and continuing education requirements for optometrists seeking to utilize and prescribe these therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, and sets a timeline for regulatory bodies to implement these changes.