SB 55: "An Act relating to the practice of optometry."
00 SENATE BILL NO. 55 01 "An Act relating to the practice of optometry." 02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 * Section 1. AS 08.72.050 is amended to read: 04 Sec. 08.72.050. Regulations. The board shall adopt regulations 05 (1) necessary for the proper performances of its duties; 06 (2) governing the applicants and applications for licensing; 07 (3) for the licensing of optometrists; 08 (4) necessary to govern the practice of optometry, including the 09 prescription and use of pharmaceutical agents; 10 (5) prescribing requirements that a person licensed under this chapter 11 must meet to demonstrate continued professional competency. 12 * Sec. 2. AS 08.72.181(d) is amended to read: 13 (d) Before a license may be renewed, the licensee shall submit to the board 14 evidence that, during the preceding licensing period [IN THE FOUR YEARS 15 PRECEDING THE APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL], the licensee has
01 [(1) COMPLETED EIGHT HOURS OF CONTINUING 02 EDUCATION, APPROVED BY THE BOARD, CONCERNING THE USE AND 03 PRESCRIPTION OF PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS; 04 (2) COMPLETED SEVEN HOURS OF CONTINUING 05 EDUCATION, APPROVED BY THE BOARD, CONCERNING THE INJECTION 06 OF NONTOPICAL THERAPEUTIC PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS; AND 07 (3)] met [OTHER] continuing education requirements as may be 08 prescribed by regulations of the board to ensure the continued protection of the public. 09 * Sec. 3. AS 08.72.272(a) is repealed and reenacted to read: 10 (a) Except as provided in (e) of this section, a licensee may prescribe and use a 11 pharmaceutical agent, including a controlled substance, in the practice of optometry if 12 the pharmaceutical agent is used in a manner consistent with standards adopted by the 13 board in regulation; the standards must include limitations on practice adopted under 14 AS 08.72.278. 15 * Sec. 4. AS 08.72.272 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 16 (e) A licensee may not perform an intravitreal injection. 17 * Sec. 5. AS 08.72 is amended by adding a new section to read: 18 Sec. 08.72.278. Limitation on practice. (a) A licensee may perform the 19 services of optometry as defined in AS 08.72.300 only if the services are within the 20 scope of the licensee's education, training, and experience as established by 21 regulations adopted by the board. 22 (b) A licensee may not perform invasive surgery. 23 * Sec. 6. AS 08.72.300(3) is repealed and reenacted to read: 24 (3) "optometry" means the examination, evaluation, diagnosis, 25 treatment, and performance of preventive procedures related to diseases, disorders, or 26 conditions of the human eyes or adjacent and associated structures, consistent with this 27 chapter and regulations adopted by the board; 28 * Sec. 7. AS 08.72.300 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 29 (6) "invasive surgery" means surgery requiring penetration through the 30 globe of the eye, extraocular muscle surgery, retina surgery, corneal transplantation, 31 refractive surgery, or cosmetic lid surgery; in this paragraph, "refractive surgery"
01 includes laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive 02 keratectomy (PRK).