Health News
- Regulations Allowing Optometrists To Use Lasers Pass; Opponents May Sue For Violation Of Open Meetings Act
Though ophthalmologists and the Kentucky Medical Association strongly objected, a legislative committee passed regulations Tuesday that will allow optometrists to perform some eye surgeries using lasers. In answer, opponents says "they might file legal...
- Optometrists, Ophthalmologists Renew Battle Over Optometrists' Ability To Perform Medical Procedures
Ophthalmologists renewed their fight yesterday against new rules "that would allow optometrists to perform more complex procedures that critics say will endanger patients," Mike Wynn of The Courier-Journal reports. The Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners...
- Beshear Signs First Bill Of Session; Optometrists Will Benefit
Gov. Steve Beshear has signed legislation that will significantly increase the scope of care optometrists can provide, making it the first bill to become law in this session of the General Assembly. "Access to quality health care is a critical issue...
- Bill To Expand Optometrists' Scope Of Care, Aided By Political Money, Continues Rapid Progression Through General Assembly
A bill that would considerably expand optometrists' scope of care cleared the House Licensing and Occupations Committee in an hour-long meeting this afternoon, the latest move in its speedy progression through the General Assembly. Senate Bill 110...
- Senate Quickly Passes Bill To Allow Optometrists To Perform Minor Surgical Procedures; Ophthalmologists Say That Would Be Risky
"The Senate approved a bill Friday to allow optometrists to perform some surgical procedures on the eye and eyelid, brushing aside warnings from medical doctors who said optometrists are not qualified and could harm surgical patients," John Cheves reports...
Health News
New Kentucky optometry law prompting legislators in other states to consider same or similar changes
Now that Kentucky lawmakers have allowed optometrists to expand their scope of care, legislators in Nebraska, South Carolina and Texas may follow suit. They are looking at legislation that would allow optometrists to perform minor surgeries that were previously only allowed to be done by ophthalmologists, who are medical doctors.
Despite objections from several physician organizations ? who say optometrists lack the medical training to perform the surgeries or deal with the complications ? The Better Access to Quality Eye Care law was signed by Gov. Steve Beshear this winter. It lets optometrists perform a range of new procedures, including post-cataract surgery and two types of glaucoma surgery, reports Carolyne Krupa of American Medical News. The bill caused controversy partly because of the amount of campaign contributions, totaling almost $400,000, that optometrists made to all but one legislator and Beshear in the past two years.
Bills being considered in Nebraska and Texas would allow optometrists to "remove skin lesions from eyelids" and perform the same eye surgeries now permitted in Kentucky. The bills in Nebraska, Texas and South Carolina would also let optometrists make injections in the eyelid.
In 1998, Oklahoma because the first state to allow optometrists to perform some eye surgeries. Earlier this year, Kentucky became the second state nationwide. (Read more)
- Regulations Allowing Optometrists To Use Lasers Pass; Opponents May Sue For Violation Of Open Meetings Act
Though ophthalmologists and the Kentucky Medical Association strongly objected, a legislative committee passed regulations Tuesday that will allow optometrists to perform some eye surgeries using lasers. In answer, opponents says "they might file legal...
- Optometrists, Ophthalmologists Renew Battle Over Optometrists' Ability To Perform Medical Procedures
Ophthalmologists renewed their fight yesterday against new rules "that would allow optometrists to perform more complex procedures that critics say will endanger patients," Mike Wynn of The Courier-Journal reports. The Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners...
- Beshear Signs First Bill Of Session; Optometrists Will Benefit
Gov. Steve Beshear has signed legislation that will significantly increase the scope of care optometrists can provide, making it the first bill to become law in this session of the General Assembly. "Access to quality health care is a critical issue...
- Bill To Expand Optometrists' Scope Of Care, Aided By Political Money, Continues Rapid Progression Through General Assembly
A bill that would considerably expand optometrists' scope of care cleared the House Licensing and Occupations Committee in an hour-long meeting this afternoon, the latest move in its speedy progression through the General Assembly. Senate Bill 110...
- Senate Quickly Passes Bill To Allow Optometrists To Perform Minor Surgical Procedures; Ophthalmologists Say That Would Be Risky
"The Senate approved a bill Friday to allow optometrists to perform some surgical procedures on the eye and eyelid, brushing aside warnings from medical doctors who said optometrists are not qualified and could harm surgical patients," John Cheves reports...