Optometry granted surgical OK by Board of Examiners

SAN FRANCISCO — Optometrists in Oklahoma may be allowed to perform numerous surgical procedures if a rule by the Oklahoma Board of Examiners in Optometry is passed by the state legislature, according to a press release by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The board’s decision stems from a discrepancy on how optometrists are reimbursed for certain procedures. Several procedures are coded as surgical for reimbursement. The procedures in question include epilation of eyelashes, insertion of punctal plugs and the surgical removal of superficial foreign bodies, the AAO said. How the rule is worded, however, lends itself to the use of scalpels in a number of ophthalmic surgical procedures, the AAO said.

The rule was passed at a hearing held by the board in which the AAO was present. The rule has not been made public yet, but the AAO is concerned that it may be too broad.

“Optometrists originally approached the legislature in August 2004 alleging they were experiencing reimbursement problems with three procedures …. This situation prompted lawmakers to pass enabling legislation and subsequently approve an emergency legislative rule that essentially expanded optometry’s scope of practice,” the AAO said in the press release.

The rule now goes to the state legislature for voting. If the legislature does nothing, the rule will become law, the AAO said. The legislature has 30 days to issue a decision, said David A. Cockrell, OD, FAAO, president of the Board of Examiners.

The AAO, along with the American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, has urged Okla. Gov. Brad Henry to reject the rule.

The AAO said that if the rule were more specific to the procedures in question, it would be satisfied. The American Academy of Optometry would not comment, and the American Optometric Association could not be reached for comment at press time.