Bill Text: IA SF437 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to injectable authority for optometrists. (Formerly SSB 1032.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-07 - Subcommittee: Smith, Chapman, and Horn. S.J. 509. [SF437 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-SF437-Introduced.html
Senate File 437 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1032) A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to injectable authority for optometrists. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1767SV (3) 87 tr/nh/rj PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 154.1, subsection 3, paragraph a, Code 1 2 2017, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 a. An optometrist licensed under this chapter may employ 1 4 all diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents for the 1 5 purpose of diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the human 1 6 eye and adnexa pursuant to this subsection, excluding the use 1 7 of sub=Tenon, botulinum toxin, and retrobulbar injections or 1 8 injectionsother than to counteract an anaphylactic reaction 1 9which penetrate the globe, and notwithstanding section 147.107, 1 10 may without charge supply any of the above pharmaceuticals 1 11 to commence a course of therapy. A licensed optometrist may 1 12 perform minor surgical procedures and use medications for the 1 13 diagnosis and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions 1 14 of the eye and adnexa. A license to practice optometry under 1 15 this chapter does not authorize the performance of surgical 1 16 procedures which requirethe use of injectable orgeneral 1 17 anesthesia, moderate sedation, penetration of the globe, or 1 18 the use of ophthalmic lasers for the purpose of ophthalmic 1 19 surgery within or upon the globe. Injectable anesthesia 1 20 may only be used for eyelid procedures used to treat eyelid 1 21 cysts, chalazia, and papillomas. The removal of pterygia and 1 22 Salzmann's nodules, incisional corneal refractive surgery, and 1 23 strabismus surgery are prohibited. 1 24 EXPLANATION 1 25 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 26 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 27 This bill makes changes to the types of actions which may be 1 28 performed by an optometrist. Previously, an optometrist could 1 29 not use injections other than to counteract an anaphylactic 1 30 reaction. Under the bill, an optometrist cannot use sub=Tenon, 1 31 botulinum toxin, and retrobulbar injections or injections which 1 32 penetrate the globe. The bill also removes a prohibition on 1 33 the performance of surgical procedures which require the use 1 34 of injectable anesthesia by licensed optometrists but limits 1 35 such use to eyelid procedures to treat eyelid cysts, chalazia, 2 1 and papillomas. LSB 1767SV (3) 87 tr/nh/rj