House
Study
Bill
507
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
_____
BY
(PROPOSED
COMMITTEE
ON
HUMAN
RESOURCES
BILL
BY
CHAIRPERSON
SMITH)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
to
allow
therapeutically
certified
optometrists
to
1
supply
therapeutic
contact
lenses.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
TLSB
5179HC
(2)
83
jr/nh
H.F.
_____
Section
1.
Section
154.1,
subsection
4,
Code
2009,
is
1
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
4.
a.
Therapeutically
certified
optometrists
may
employ
3
all
diagnostic
and
therapeutic
pharmaceutical
agents
for
the
4
purpose
of
diagnosis
and
treatment
of
conditions
of
the
human
5
eye
and
adnexa
pursuant
to
this
subsection,
excluding
the
6
use
of
injections
other
than
to
counteract
an
anaphylactic
7
reaction,
and
notwithstanding
section
147.107,
may
without
8
charge
supply
any
of
the
above
pharmaceuticals
to
commence
a
9
course
of
therapy.
10
b.
Therapeutically
certified
optometrists
may
employ
and,
11
notwithstanding
section
147.107,
supply
therapeutic
contact
12
lenses
for
the
purpose
of
treatment
of
conditions
of
the
human
13
eye
and
adnexa.
For
purposes
of
this
paragraph,
“therapeutic
14
contact
lenses”
means
contact
lenses
that
contain
one
or
more
15
therapeutic
pharmaceutical
agents
authorized
for
employment
16
by
this
section
for
the
purpose
of
treatment
of
conditions
of
17
the
human
eye
and
adnexa
and
that
deliver
such
agents
into
the
18
wearer’s
eye.
19
c.
Therapeutically
certified
optometrists
may
prescribe
20
oral
steroids
for
a
period
not
to
exceed
fourteen
days
21
without
consultation
with
a
physician.
Therapeutically
22
certified
optometrists
shall
not
prescribe
oral
Imuran
or
oral
23
Methotrexate.
24
d.
Therapeutically
certified
optometrists
may
be
authorized,
25
where
reasonable
and
appropriate,
by
rule
of
the
board,
to
26
employ
new
diagnostic
and
therapeutic
pharmaceutical
agents
27
approved
by
the
United
States
food
and
drug
administration
on
28
or
after
July
1,
2002,
for
the
diagnosis
and
treatment
of
the
29
human
eye
and
adnexa.
30
e.
The
board
shall
not
be
required
to
adopt
rules
relating
31
to
topical
pharmaceutical
agents,
oral
antimicrobial
agents,
32
oral
antihistamines,
oral
antiglaucoma
agents,
and
oral
33
analgesic
agents.
Superficial
foreign
bodies
may
be
removed
34
from
the
human
eye
and
adnexa.
35
-1-
LSB
5179HC
(2)
83
jr/nh
1/
2
H.F.
_____
f.
The
therapeutic
efforts
of
a
therapeutically
certified
1
optometrist
are
intended
for
the
purpose
of
examination,
2
diagnosis,
and
treatment
of
visual
defects,
abnormal
3
conditions,
and
diseases
of
the
human
eye
and
adnexa,
for
4
proper
optometric
practice
or
referral
for
consultation
or
5
treatment
to
persons
licensed
under
chapter
148.
6
g.
A
therapeutically
certified
optometrist
is
an
optometrist
7
who
is
licensed
to
practice
optometry
in
this
state
and
who
8
is
certified
by
the
board
to
use
the
agents
and
procedures
9
authorized
pursuant
to
this
subsection.
10
EXPLANATION
11
Code
section
154.1
authorizes
therapeutically
certified
12
optometrists
to
employ
all
diagnostic
and
therapeutic
13
pharmaceutical
agents
for
the
purpose
of
diagnosis
and
14
treatment
of
conditions
of
the
human
eye
and
adnexa.
This
15
bill
allows
therapeutically
certified
optometrists
to
also
16
supply
therapeutic
contact
lenses
for
the
purpose
of
treatment
17
of
conditions
of
the
human
eye
and
adnexa.
The
bill
defines
18
these
lenses
as
contact
lenses
that
contain
one
or
more
of
the
19
authorized
therapeutic
pharmaceutical
agents
and
that
deliver
20
the
agents
into
the
wearer’s
eye.
21
-2-
LSB
5179HC
(2)
83
jr/nh
2/
2