California Legislature Passes Optometric Surgery Bill

The California Legislature recently passed AC 2236, an optometric surgery bill that, if signed into law, would expand optometrists’ scope of practice in California to include some scalpel and laser eye surgeries, as well as medication injections.

The bill would authorize an optometrist certified to treat glaucoma to obtain certification to perform “specified advanced procedures if the optometrist meets certain education, training, examination, and other requirements,” according to language in the bill.

The advanced procedures include:

• Laser trabeculoplasty
• Laser peripheral iridotomy for the prophylactic treatment of a clinically significant narrow drainage angle of the anterior chamber of the eye
• Laser posterior capsulotomy after cataract surgery
• Excision or drainage of nonrecurrent lesions of the adnexa evaluated consistent determined by the optometrist to be noncancerous, not involving the eyelid margin, lacrimal supply, or drainage systems
• Injections for the treatment of chalazia
• Corneal crosslinking

Supporters of the bill, including the California Optometric Association, say it will help increase much-needed access to treatment for many Californians by authorizing optometrists who receive additional training and certification to perform minimally invasive procedures. Opponents, such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Medical Society, say the bill puts patients’ safety as risk by allowing complex eye surgeries to be performed by those without adequate training.

The bill now awaits signature from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has until September 30 to sign it. If he does, the bill would go into effect on January 1, 2023, and is expected to take roughly 2 years to implement.

The full text of the bill can be found here.