House File 310 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 310 BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 64) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the practice of optometry. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 1540HV (2) 88 ss/rn

H.F. 310 Section 1. Section 154.1, subsection 3, Code 2019, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 3. a. An optometrist licensed under this chapter may 3 employ all diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents for 4 the purpose of diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the 5 human eye and adnexa pursuant to this subsection , excluding 6 the 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. A licensed optometrist may perform minor 10 surgical procedures and use medications for the diagnosis and 11 treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of the eye and 12 adnexa. A Notwithstanding paragraph “b” , a license to practice 13 optometry under this chapter does not authorize the performance 14 of surgical procedures which require the use of injectable 15 or general anesthesia, moderate sedation, penetration of the 16 globe, or the use of ophthalmic lasers for the purpose of 17 ophthalmic surgery within or upon the globe. The removal of 18 pterygia and Salzmann’s nodules, incisional corneal refractive 19 surgery, and strabismus surgery are prohibited. 20 b. (1) A licensed optometrist may administer only the 21 following injections: 22 (a) Sub-conjunctival injections for the medical treatment 23 of the eye. 24 (b) Intra-lesional injections for the treatment of 25 chalazia. 26 (c) Local anesthetic for the purpose of draining an eyelid 27 abscess. 28 (d) Injections to counteract an anaphylactic reaction. 29 (2) An optometrist shall not administer any injection prior 30 to receiving approval from the board. 31 (3) The board shall not approve the use of injections 32 other than to counteract an anaphylactic reaction unless the 33 optometrist demonstrates to the board sufficient educational 34 or clinical training from a college or university accredited 35 -1- LSB 1540HV (2) 88 ss/rn 1/ 3

H.F. 310 by a regional or professional accreditation organization which 1 is recognized or approved by the council for higher education 2 accreditation or by the United States department of education 3 or clinical training equivalent to clinical training offered 4 by such an institution. A license granted to an applicant who 5 graduated from an accredited school of optometry and who passed 6 the injections skills examination of the national board of 7 examiners in optometry examination on or after January 1, 2011 8 shall constitute proof of sufficient educational or clinical 9 training. 10 b. c. A licensed optometrist may employ and, 11 notwithstanding section 147.107, supply pharmaceutical- 12 delivering contact lenses for the purpose of treatment of 13 conditions of the human eye and adnexa. For purposes of 14 this paragraph, “pharmaceutical-delivering contact lenses” 15 means contact lenses that contain one or more therapeutic 16 pharmaceutical agents authorized for employment by this section 17 for the purpose of treatment of conditions of the human eye and 18 adnexa and that deliver such agents into the wearer’s eye. 19 c. d. A licensed optometrist may prescribe oral steroids 20 for a period not to exceed fourteen days without consultation 21 with a physician. 22 d. e. A licensed optometrist may be authorized, where 23 reasonable and appropriate, by rule of the board, to employ new 24 diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents approved by 25 the United States food and drug administration on or after July 26 1, 2002, for the diagnosis and treatment of the human eye and 27 adnexa. 28 e. f. The board is not required to adopt rules relating to 29 topical pharmaceutical agents, oral antimicrobial agents, oral 30 antihistamines, oral antiglaucoma agents, and oral analgesic 31 agents. A licensed optometrist may remove superficial foreign 32 bodies from the human eye and adnexa. 33 f. g. The therapeutic efforts of a licensed optometrist 34 are intended for the purpose of examination, diagnosis, and 35 -2- LSB 1540HV (2) 88 ss/rn 2/ 3

H.F. 310 treatment of visual defects, abnormal conditions, and diseases 1 of the human eye and adnexa, for proper optometric practice 2 or referral for consultation or treatment to persons licensed 3 under chapter 148 . 4 g. h. A licensed optometrist is an optometrist who is 5 licensed to practice optometry in this state and who is 6 certified by the board to use the agents and procedures 7 authorized pursuant to this subsection . 8 EXPLANATION 9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 10 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 11 This bill relates to the practice of optometry. The bill 12 allows optometrists to administer sub-conjunctival injections 13 for the medical treatment of the eye, intra-lesional injections 14 for the treatment of chalazia, local anesthetic for the purpose 15 of draining an eyelid abscess, and injections to counteract an 16 anaphylactic reaction. Current law prohibits an optometrist 17 from administering injections other than to counter an 18 anaphylactic reaction. The bill prohibits an optometrist from 19 administering any injection prior to receiving approval from 20 the board. The board shall not approve the use of injections 21 by an optometrist, except for injections to counteract an 22 anaphylactic reaction, unless the optometrist demonstrates 23 sufficient educational or clinical training from or equivalent 24 to an accredited college or university. The bill directs the 25 board to accept a license to practice optometry issued to an 26 applicant who graduated from an accredited school of optometry 27 and who passed the injections skills portion of the national 28 board of examiners in optometry examination on or after 29 January 1, 2011, as proof of sufficient educational or clinical 30 training. 31 -3- LSB 1540HV (2) 88 ss/rn 3/ 3