Study Confirms Safety of Optometric Laser Surgery

Just two negative outcomes were reported in roughly 150,000 procedures, for a complication rate of 0.001%.

Scope Bill Passed in D.C. Excludes Optometry

The right of ODs to prescribe controlled substances and manage glaucoma without MD oversight was removed from the legislation during amendments, in part due to inadequate telehealth guidelines. Now, just two scope bills remain this year in Ohio and NJ.

Three Scope Expansion Efforts Remain Active, Others Stall

New Jersey, Ohio and D.C. are still in play but at least 10 bills have been dismissed or postponed since January, mostly due to lags in the legislative process rather than the success of ophthalmology’s anti-optometry tactics.

Seven States Remain Active in Battles for Laser Authority

With one victory and four losses charted in the last few months, it’s already been a busy year for scope expansion. Here’s the latest on where efforts stand.

Optometric Scope: Breaking Down Barriers

Here’s how ODs are challenging old boundaries—and what they can do once freed from them.

51 Flavors of Optometry

The profession’s fragmented legal basis lets some states surge while others languish, creating dozens of varieties.

South Dakota Scope Expansion Bill Signed by Governor

The state’s ODs have earned the right to pursue lasers, injections and IPL.

Wisconsin ODs Embrace Expansive Scope, Brace for MD Challenge

The current law on the books does not require explicit enumeration of every privilege and procedure, giving optometrists there more autonomy to evolve their skillsets and offerings as the profession grows.

At Least Eight States Pushing Lasers in 2024

None secured this scope win in 2023, so this year, advocacy efforts are ramping up to ensure legislators understand the importance of these bills.

California Laser Bill Killed Without Explanation

The legislation was moved to the ‘suspense file’ by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, meaning there was no vote or rationale provided.