Pennsylvania Senate Approves Bill That Would Expand Optometrists’ Scope of Practice

A Pennsylvania bill – Senate Bill (SB) 668, introduced by Sen. John Gordner – seeks to expand optometrists’ scope of practice beyond the limits of their training. The bill passed the full Senate by a vote of 32-17 on Sept. 25, 2018, and it now awaits consideration by the House Professional Licensure Committee.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) supports the Pennsylvania Academy of Ophthalmology in its efforts to oppose SB 668. The bill would allow optometrists to:

• Perform eye surgery. The bill allows them to remove penetrating foreign bodies and to perform injections and eyelid surgery on potentially cancerous eyelid tumors. These procedures are eye surgery and optometrists do not have the education and training to safely perform surgery, with potentially blinding or life-threatening consequences.
• Call themselves “Doctor,” rather than “Doctor of Optometry” – This has the potential to be confusing and misleading to patients.
• Prescribe certain potentially addicting schedule II narcotics – This is worrisome, given the dangers of narcotics when not used properly.
• Treat systemic diseases including diabetes and hypertension. 

PAMED recently expressed opposition to SB 668 in a letter sent to Senate members and a letter to House Professional Licensure Committee members. SB 668 would expand optometrists’ scope of practice well beyond the limits of their education and training without including any provision for added training to safely justify any changes.

For more details on PAMED’s ongoing advocacy on scope of practice issues, as well as other advocacy initiatives, visit us at www.pamedsoc.org/advocacy.