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Nebraska expands optometrists' scope of practice
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Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman signed LB 526 into law earlier this week, according to a press release.
The bill has removed restrictions, allowing optometrists prescriptive authority in regard to oral steroids, oral glaucoma medications and immunosuppressives, according to the legislation.
"Pharmaceutical agents, for therapeutic purposes, includes an epinephrine autoinjector for treatment of anaphylaxis and an oral steroid, oral glaucoma agent or immunosuppressive agent," the bill reads.
The bill was originally introduced in January 2013. The Nebraska Optometric Association told Primary Care Optometry News earlier this year that it was hopeful the bill would be passed before the legislative session adjourns in mid-April.
A Health and Human Services Committee amendment granting optometrists the permission of minor surgical procedures to treat chalaza, hordeola, sweat gland cysts or oil gland cysts of the eyelids was removed before the final bill was passed, according to the Nebraska legislature website.