(1) Licensed optometrists using pharmaceutical agents in the practice of optometry shall have a minimum of 60 hours of didactic and clinical instruction in general and ocular pharmacology as applied to optometry, and for therapeutic purposes an additional minimum 75 hours of didactic and clinical instruction, and certification from an institution of higher learning, accredited by those agencies recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education to qualify for certification by the optometry board to use drugs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

(2) Optometrists must obtain the required instructions in both diagnostic and therapeutic categories in order to be eligible to qualify for certification to use drugs for therapeutic purposes.

(3) The instruction in ocular therapeutics must cover the following subject area in order to qualify for certification training:

(a) Ocular pharmacology.

(i) Corneal barrier, blood-aqueous, /-retinal barrier.

(ii) Routes of drug administration for ocular disease.

(iii) Prescription writing and labeling.

(iv) Ocular side-effects of systemic drugs.

(b) Anti-infectives.

(i) General principles of anti-infective drugs.

(ii) Antibacterial drugs.

(iii) Treatment of ocular bacterial infections.

(iv) Antiviral drugs.

(v) Treatment of ocular viral infections.

(vi) Antifungal drugs.

(vii) Treatment of ocular fungal infections.

(viii) Antiparasitic drugs.

(ix) Treatment of parasitic eye disease.

(c) Anti-inflammatory drugs.

(i) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).

(ii) General principles of mast-cell stabilizers.

(iii) Antihistamines.

(iv) Ocular decongestants.

(v) Treatment of allergic disease.

(vi) Treatment of inflammatory disease.

(vii) Cycloplegic drugs.

(viii) Treatment of ocular trauma.

(ix) Ocular lubricants.

(x) Hypertonic agents.

(xi) Antiglaucoma drugs.

Each subject area shall be covered in sufficient depth so that the optometrist will be informed about the general principles in the use of each drug category, drug side effects and contra indications, and for each disease covered the subjective symptoms, objective signs, diagnosis and recommended treatment and programs.