Scope of Practice
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%.
07/31/2024
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.
06/28/2024
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.
05/31/2024
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.
03/26/2024
Optometric Scope: Breaking Down Barriers
Here’s how ODs are challenging old boundaries—and what they can do once freed from them.
03/15/2024
51 Flavors of Optometry
The profession’s fragmented legal basis lets some states surge while others languish, creating dozens of varieties.
03/15/2024
South Dakota Scope Expansion Bill Signed by Governor
The state’s ODs have earned the right to pursue lasers, injections and IPL.
03/08/2024
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.
03/01/2024
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.
01/26/2024
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.
01/25/2024
Upcoming Events
December 5, 2024
Rethinking Dry Eye Disease: A Contemporary Approach to a Complex Condition
Location: Virtual
Presenters: Nate Lighthizer, OD, and Dagny Zhu, MD
Webinar: 9:00pm ET
Sponsored by Bausch + Lomb
December 6-7, 2024
December 7-8, 2024
Retina Update 2024
Location: Westin Carlsbad, Carlsbad, California
Program Chairs: Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, and Steven Ferrucci, OD
Earn up to 11 LIVE COPE credits (accreditation pending)
