"An Act relating to use of pharmaceutical agents by optometrists."

Currently, all 50 states authorize optometrists to prescribe drugs, with 40 states, Washington D.C., and Guam allowing oral or systemic drugs. For over 32 years, there have been no reported problems. Only 10 states including Alaska still restrict prescriptive authority to topical drugs only. Currently when systemic drugs are needed, a second doctor visit often with travel is required, or the drugs are provided by a nurse, physician's assistant, or health aide with less training than the local optometrist.

The purpose of SB 197 is to strengthen the Alaska statute regarding optometry to allow qualified board-endorsed optometrists to prescribe these additional medications limited to treating only the eye. This will bring our laws up to the currently accepted standard of care, and will provide improved access to quality, efficient, cost-effective eye care throughout Alaska. This is especially important in rural villages. In Alaska, optometrists provide most of the primary eye care.

States began authorizing optometrists to prescribe drugs in 1971. In 1988, Alaska was the 49th state to enact statutes allowing optometrists to use diagnostic drugs. In 1002, Alaska was the 32nd state to authorize prescription of therapeutic drugs to treat eye diseases, but was compromised to only topical drugs. There have been no complaints to the Alaska board concerning drug prescriptions by optometrists since that authority was granted 11 years ago, and a survey of other state medical boards and optometry boards reveals no problems.

Optometry is a primary health care profession that examines, diagnoses, and treats diseases and conditions of the human eye and visual systems using methods and procedures in accordance with professional training and competency. A doctoral degree after 8-9 years of college: 4 years undergraduate, 4 years of graduate school, and one year of optional residency-the same as dentistry, podiatry, and medical schools.

Similar to other licensed health care professions such as physicians, dentists, podiatrists, and nurse practitioners, the scope of practice of optometry is determined by state statutes. Over the past 40 years, as technology and training has advanced, optometry has had to return to the legislature to update statutes in order to practice at the highest standard of care. Optometrists are held to the same standard of care as other providers. National malpractice insurance rates are very low and unrelated to the state's optometry drug authorization level.

Last Updated: 05/05/2003

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