H-0437.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2032
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State of Washington 55th Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By Representatives Backlund, Dyer and Zellinsky
Read first time 02/18/97. Referred to Committee on Health Care.
AN ACT Relating to the practice of optometry; and amending RCW 18.53.010.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 18.53.010 and 1989 c 36 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The practice of optometry is defined as the examination of the human eye, the examination and ascertaining any defects of the human vision system and the analysis of the process of vision. The practice of optometry may include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
(a) The employment of any objective or subjective means or method including the use of drugs topically applied to the eye for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes by those licensed under this chapter and who meet the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) of this section, and the use of any diagnostic instruments or devices for the examination or analysis of the human vision system, the measurement of the powers or range of human vision, or the determination of the refractive powers of the human eye or its functions in general; and
(b) The prescription and fitting of lenses, prisms, therapeutic or refractive contact lenses and the adaption or adjustment of frames and lenses used in connection therewith; and
(c) The prescription and provision of visual therapy, therapeutic aids and other optical devices, and the treatment with topically applied drugs by those licensed under this chapter and who meet the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) of this section; and
(d) The ascertainment of the perceptive, neural, muscular or pathological condition of the visual system; and
(e) The adaptation of prosthetic eyes.
(2) Those persons using drugs for diagnostic purposes in the practice of optometry shall have a minimum of sixty hours of didactic and clinical instruction in general and ocular pharmacology as applied to optometry, and for therapeutic purposes, an additional minimum of seventy-five hours of didactic and clinical instruction as established by the board, and certification from an institution of higher learning, accredited by those agencies recognized by the United States office of education or the council on postsecondary accreditation to qualify for certification by the optometry board of Washington to use drugs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Such course or courses shall be the fiscal responsibility of the participating and attending optometrist.
(3) The board shall establish a schedule of drugs for diagnostic and treatment purposes limited to the practice of optometry, and no person licensed pursuant to this chapter shall prescribe, dispense, purchase, possess, or administer drugs except as authorized and to the extent permitted by the board.
(4) The board shall develop a means of identification and verification of optometrists certified to use therapeutic drugs for the purpose of issuing prescriptions as authorized by this section.
(5) Optometry is and has been a nonsurgical specialty practice. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as authorizing optometrists to perform any surgery, surgical procedure, or use any surgical means, including without limitation, piercing, revision, destruction, incision, removing, penetrating, or structural alteration to human skin or tissue by the use of instruments, mechanical means, laser, ionizing radiation, or any other existing or future technology.
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