HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 5193

BYSenate Committee on Health Care & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Amondson, Madsen, Anderson, Newhouse, Kreidler, McMullen, Talmadge and Warnke)

Revising provisions of the optometry statutes.

House Committe on Health Care

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (6)

      Signed by Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Cantwell, Morris, Prentice and Vekich.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (5)

      Signed by Representatives Brooks, Ranking Republican Member; Chandler, Sommers, Sprenkle and Wolfe.

House Staff:John Welsh (786-7131)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 31, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Currently licensed optometrists may be certified by the Board of Optometry to use certain topically administered drugs for the purpose of diagnosing conditions of the eye.  The certified optometrist must have a minimum of 60 hours of didactic and clinical instruction in general and ocular pharmacology as applied to the practice of optometry from an accredited institute of higher education.  Optometrists are not permitted to use drugs for therapeutic purposes.

SUMMARY:

Optometrists are permitted to use certain topically administered drugs for therapeutic purposes when certified by the Board of Optometry.  The board is directed to establish a formulary of drugs to be used for diagnostic and treatment purposes. An additional 75 hours of didactic and clinical instruction is required for certification to use drugs for therapeutic purposes.  Educational programs must be approved by the U.S. Office of Education or the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation. Pharmacists may legally fill prescriptions of licensed optometrists for topically applied drugs.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Mike Kreidler, State Senator.

House Committee - Testified Against:      Mike Ryherd, Washington State Academy of Ophthalmology; George Schneider, Washington State Medical Association; Michael Gorman, M.D.; Don Schwartz, Ophthalmologist.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Twenty-three states have similar legislation allowing optometrists to use topically applied drugs for therapeutic purposes.  There have been no quality of care problems and malpractice rates have actually declined overall for optometrists.  The patient should be given a choice between an optometrist with lower fees and an M.D. ophthalmologist, and in fact competition between providers would be good in keeping costs down.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      Optometrists do not have the requisite training in pharmacology to be able to treat patients therapeutically.  Drugs may have an effect on the entire body system quite beyond the eye.  The potential for causing harm to the patient is high.