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House Study Bill 64 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the practice of optometry.
2BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 154.1, subsection 3, Code 2019, is
2amended to read as follows:
33. a. An optometrist licensed under this chapter may
4employ all diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents for
5the purpose of diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the
6human eye and adnexa pursuant to this subsection, excluding
7the use of injections other than to counteract an anaphylactic
8reaction, and notwithstanding section 147.107, may without
9charge supply any of the above pharmaceuticals to commence a
10course of therapy. A licensed optometrist may perform minor
11surgical procedures and use medications for the diagnosis and
12treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of the eye and
13adnexa. A license to practice optometry under this chapter
14does not authorize the performance of surgical procedures which
15require the use of injectable or general anesthesia, moderate
16sedation, penetration of the globe, or the use of ophthalmic
17lasers for the purpose of ophthalmic surgery within or upon
18the globe. The removal of pterygia and Salzmann’s nodules,
19incisional corneal refractive surgery, and strabismus surgery
20are prohibited.
21b. (1) A licensed optometrist may administer only the
22following injections:
23(a) Sub-conjunctival injections for the medical treatment
24of the eye.
25(b) Intra-lesional injections for the treatment of
26chalazia.
27(c) Local anesthetic for the purpose of draining an eyelid
28abscess.
29(d) Injections to counteract an anaphylactic reaction.
30(2) An optometrist shall not administer any injection prior
31to receiving approval from the board.
32(3) The board shall not approve the use of injections
33other than to counteract an anaphylactic reaction unless the
34optometrist demonstrates to the board sufficient educational
35or clinical training from a college or university accredited
-1-1by a regional or professional accreditation organization which
2is recognized or approved by the council for higher education
3accreditation or by the United States department of education
4or clinical training equivalent to clinical training offered
5by such an institution. A license granted to an applicant who
6graduated from an accredited school of optometry and who passed
7the injections skills examination of the national board of
8examiners in optometry examination on or after January 1, 2011
9shall constitute proof of sufficient educational or clinical
10training.
11b. c. A licensed optometrist may employ and,
12notwithstanding section 147.107, supply pharmaceutical-
13delivering contact lenses for the purpose of treatment of
14conditions of the human eye and adnexa. For purposes of
15this paragraph, “pharmaceutical-delivering contact lenses”
16means contact lenses that contain one or more therapeutic
17pharmaceutical agents authorized for employment by this section
18for the purpose of treatment of conditions of the human eye and
19adnexa and that deliver such agents into the wearer’s eye.
20c. d. A licensed optometrist may prescribe oral steroids
21for a period not to exceed fourteen days without consultation
22with a physician.
23d. e. A licensed optometrist may be authorized, where
24reasonable and appropriate, by rule of the board, to employ new
25diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents approved by
26the United States food and drug administration on or after July
271, 2002, for the diagnosis and treatment of the human eye and
28adnexa.
29e. f. The board is not required to adopt rules relating to
30topical pharmaceutical agents, oral antimicrobial agents, oral
31antihistamines, oral antiglaucoma agents, and oral analgesic
32agents. A licensed optometrist may remove superficial foreign
33bodies from the human eye and adnexa.
34f. g. The therapeutic efforts of a licensed optometrist
35are intended for the purpose of examination, diagnosis, and
-2-1treatment of visual defects, abnormal conditions, and diseases
2of the human eye and adnexa, for proper optometric practice
3or referral for consultation or treatment to persons licensed
4under chapter 148.
5g. h. A licensed optometrist is an optometrist who is
6licensed to practice optometry in this state and who is
7certified by the board to use the agents and procedures
8authorized pursuant to this subsection.
9EXPLANATION
10The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
11the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
12This bill relates to the practice of optometry. The bill
13allows optometrists to administer sub-conjunctival injections
14for the medical treatment of the eye, intra-lesional injections
15for the treatment of chalazia, local anesthetic for the purpose
16of draining an eyelid abscess, and injections to counteract an
17anaphylactic reaction. Current law prohibits an optometrist
18from administering injections other than to counter an
19anaphylactic reaction. The bill prohibits an optometrist from
20administering any injection prior to receiving approval from
21the board. The board shall not approve the use of injections
22by an optometrist, except for injections to counteract an
23anaphylactic reaction, unless the optometrist demonstrates
24sufficient educational or clinical training from or equivalent
25to an accredited college or university. The bill directs the
26board to accept a license to practice optometry issued to an
27applicant who graduated from an accredited school of optometry
28and who passed the injections skills portion of the national
29board of examiners in optometry examination on or after
30January 1, 2011, as proof of sufficient educational or clinical
31training.
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2BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 154.1, subsection 3, Code 2019, is
2amended to read as follows:
33. a. An optometrist licensed under this chapter may
4employ all diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents for
5the purpose of diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the
6human eye and adnexa pursuant to this subsection, excluding
7the use of injections other than to counteract an anaphylactic
8reaction, and notwithstanding section 147.107, may without
9charge supply any of the above pharmaceuticals to commence a
10course of therapy. A licensed optometrist may perform minor
11surgical procedures and use medications for the diagnosis and
12treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of the eye and
13adnexa. A license to practice optometry under this chapter
14does not authorize the performance of surgical procedures which
15require the use of injectable or general anesthesia, moderate
16sedation, penetration of the globe, or the use of ophthalmic
17lasers for the purpose of ophthalmic surgery within or upon
18the globe. The removal of pterygia and Salzmann’s nodules,
19incisional corneal refractive surgery, and strabismus surgery
20are prohibited.
21b. (1) A licensed optometrist may administer only the
22following injections:
23(a) Sub-conjunctival injections for the medical treatment
24of the eye.
25(b) Intra-lesional injections for the treatment of
26chalazia.
27(c) Local anesthetic for the purpose of draining an eyelid
28abscess.
29(d) Injections to counteract an anaphylactic reaction.
30(2) An optometrist shall not administer any injection prior
31to receiving approval from the board.
32(3) The board shall not approve the use of injections
33other than to counteract an anaphylactic reaction unless the
34optometrist demonstrates to the board sufficient educational
35or clinical training from a college or university accredited
-1-1by a regional or professional accreditation organization which
2is recognized or approved by the council for higher education
3accreditation or by the United States department of education
4or clinical training equivalent to clinical training offered
5by such an institution. A license granted to an applicant who
6graduated from an accredited school of optometry and who passed
7the injections skills examination of the national board of
8examiners in optometry examination on or after January 1, 2011
9shall constitute proof of sufficient educational or clinical
10training.
11b. c. A licensed optometrist may employ and,
12notwithstanding section 147.107, supply pharmaceutical-
13delivering contact lenses for the purpose of treatment of
14conditions of the human eye and adnexa. For purposes of
15this paragraph, “pharmaceutical-delivering contact lenses”
16means contact lenses that contain one or more therapeutic
17pharmaceutical agents authorized for employment by this section
18for the purpose of treatment of conditions of the human eye and
19adnexa and that deliver such agents into the wearer’s eye.
20c. d. A licensed optometrist may prescribe oral steroids
21for a period not to exceed fourteen days without consultation
22with a physician.
23d. e. A licensed optometrist may be authorized, where
24reasonable and appropriate, by rule of the board, to employ new
25diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents approved by
26the United States food and drug administration on or after July
271, 2002, for the diagnosis and treatment of the human eye and
28adnexa.
29e. f. The board is not required to adopt rules relating to
30topical pharmaceutical agents, oral antimicrobial agents, oral
31antihistamines, oral antiglaucoma agents, and oral analgesic
32agents. A licensed optometrist may remove superficial foreign
33bodies from the human eye and adnexa.
34f. g. The therapeutic efforts of a licensed optometrist
35are intended for the purpose of examination, diagnosis, and
-2-1treatment of visual defects, abnormal conditions, and diseases
2of the human eye and adnexa, for proper optometric practice
3or referral for consultation or treatment to persons licensed
4under chapter 148.
5g. h. A licensed optometrist is an optometrist who is
6licensed to practice optometry in this state and who is
7certified by the board to use the agents and procedures
8authorized pursuant to this subsection.
9EXPLANATION
10The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
11the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
12This bill relates to the practice of optometry. The bill
13allows optometrists to administer sub-conjunctival injections
14for the medical treatment of the eye, intra-lesional injections
15for the treatment of chalazia, local anesthetic for the purpose
16of draining an eyelid abscess, and injections to counteract an
17anaphylactic reaction. Current law prohibits an optometrist
18from administering injections other than to counter an
19anaphylactic reaction. The bill prohibits an optometrist from
20administering any injection prior to receiving approval from
21the board. The board shall not approve the use of injections
22by an optometrist, except for injections to counteract an
23anaphylactic reaction, unless the optometrist demonstrates
24sufficient educational or clinical training from or equivalent
25to an accredited college or university. The bill directs the
26board to accept a license to practice optometry issued to an
27applicant who graduated from an accredited school of optometry
28and who passed the injections skills portion of the national
29board of examiners in optometry examination on or after
30January 1, 2011, as proof of sufficient educational or clinical
31training.
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