PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
(Board of Optometry)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 246-851 WAC, Prescription of therapeutic contact lenses used as a medication delivery.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.54.070, 18.53.010.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Contact lenses are now being developed that contain and release antibiotics and other drugs needed to treat a wide variety of eye disorders such as glaucoma, dry eye, infections, allergic conjunctivitis and eye pain. The board is considering rules to clarify prescription of these contact lenses by optometrists.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Interested persons can participate in the development of new rules by attending stakeholder meetings, providing comments on proposed language which will be sent to interested persons through listserv and by regular mail. Send written comments to Judy Haenke, Program Manager, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone (360) 236-4947, fax (360) 236-2901 or e-mail judy.haenke@doh.wa.gov.
February 22, 2010
Bart Eggen
Executive Director