Fairfax, VA - The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) today urged Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry to reject a rule adopted October 4 by the Oklahoma Board of Examiners in Optometry that would allow optometrists to perform lid and eye surgery using a scalpel.
“Under this rule, optometrists who have had no surgical training at an accredited school of medicine or osteopathy would be able to perform multiple surgical procedures. This rule sets a dangerous precedent for patient safety and undermines efforts to raise standards for quality of care,” said ASCRS President Priscilla P. Arnold. Oklahoma is the only state in the union that would grant such wide-ranging surgical privileges to optometrists.
Under the rule, optometrists would be able to use a scalpel to cut the eyelid or remove skin cancer lesions and to cut the eye surface to remove cancer lesions. They would also be allowed to inject medication into the eye itself, and to inject Botox around the eyes.
The ability to perform surgery requires much more education and clinical training than optometrists receive. (Optometrists typically complete 4-year programs. Ophthalmologists must complete 8- or more year programs.) Procedures for prescribing eyeglasses or contact lenses tend to be mechanical in nature. Surgery, on the other hand, involves making permanent changes to patients’ eye tissues.
The traditional position of state and federal regulatory authorities has been to restrict the performance of surgery to physicians licensed by the state to practice medicine, i.e. doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathic medicine. Ophthalmic surgery should also be guarded by the same considerations for public safety and be performed only by those professionals who are licensed to perform surgery.
“Governor Henry has 45 days in which to reject the rule promulgated by the Oklahoma Board of Examiners in Optometry. We strongly urge him to protect the public and to protect the standards that have assured a high quality of patient care for all Oklahomans,” Arnold said.
