OK Update

[John_Doe]

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Oklahoma "Surgery by Surgeons" Team Scores Major Gain
The Academy, the Oklahoma Academy of Ophthalmology and their coalition partners overcame the first hurdle in reversing the Oklahoma regulation allowing scalpel surgery by optometrists. On May 12, 2005, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Fred Morgan introduced House Joint Resolution 1031, which suspends the regulation until May 31, 2006. The resolution would establish a committee to develop a list of non-laser procedures and protocols deemed safe for optometrists to perform and for which there is a demonstrated need. The state Board of Examiners in Optometry would then be required to amend its rule to conform to the Committee's recommendations.

http://www.aao.org/advocacy/state/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=13950

 

[rubensan]

Strong work by the AAO! What do you think will constitute "demonstrated need?"

Ruben

resolution would establish a committee to develop a list of non-laser procedures and protocols deemed safe for optometrists to perform and for which there is a demonstrated need. The state Board of Examiners in Optometry would then be required to amend its rule to conform to the Committee's recommendations.

http://www.aao.org/advocacy/state/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=13950

 

[Ben Chudner]

Oklahoma "Surgery by Surgeons" Team Scores Major Gain
The Academy, the Oklahoma Academy of Ophthalmology and their coalition partners overcame the first hurdle in reversing the Oklahoma regulation allowing scalpel surgery by optometrists. On May 12, 2005, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Fred Morgan introduced House Joint Resolution 1031, which suspends the regulation until May 31, 2006. The resolution would establish a committee to develop a list of non-laser procedures and protocols deemed safe for optometrists to perform and for which there is a demonstrated need. The state Board of Examiners in Optometry would then be required to amend its rule to conform to the Committee's recommendations.

http://www.aao.org/advocacy/state/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=13950

Has this passed, or simply been introduced? My experience in Washington State has been that a lot of legislation gets introduced, but far less even make it out of committee let alone get passed.

 

[DLJD]

Oklahoma "Surgery by Surgeons" Team Scores Major Gain
The Academy, the Oklahoma Academy of Ophthalmology and their coalition partners overcame the first hurdle in reversing the Oklahoma regulation allowing scalpel surgery by optometrists. On May 12, 2005, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Fred Morgan introduced House Joint Resolution 1031, which suspends the regulation until May 31, 2006. The resolution would establish a committee to develop a list of non-laser procedures and protocols deemed safe for optometrists to perform and for which there is a demonstrated need. The state Board of Examiners in Optometry would then be required to amend its rule to conform to the Committee's recommendations.

http://www.aao.org/advocacy/state/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=13950

Do we have a list of Oklahoma House and Senate members that we might be able to contact to voice our support for the resolution as we did in New Mexico?

 

[exmike]

I'm confused.. on page 2 it defines Optometry as " ...the science and art of examining the human eye ...and the correcting and relief of ocular abnormalities by means including but not limited to ...laser surgeries (excluding retina), LASIK...

Doesn't this mean that their scope of practice as defined by the legislature includes LASIK?

 

[rubensan]

I'm confused.. on page 2 it defines Optometry as " ...the science and art of examining the human eye ...and the correcting and relief of ocular abnormalities by means including but not limited to ...laser surgeries (excluding retina), LASIK...

Doesn't this mean that their scope of practice as defined by the legislature includes LASIK?

ex,

I read it as optometrists would be able to use lasers to correct and relieve ocular abnormalities excluding those used for retina, LASIK and lid cosmetic procedures.

I am wondering what the ODs who frequent this forum think of how optometry scope has been defined by this resolution? In my opinion, it echos many of Tom Stickel's points in post #73 of the "Uniting Optometry and Ophthalmology" thread

Ruben

 

[Andrew_Doan]

ex,

I read it as optometrists would be able to use lasers to correct and relieve ocular abnormalities excluding those used for retina, LASIK and lid cosmetic procedures.

I am wondering what the ODs who frequent this forum think of how optometry scope has been defined by this resolution? In my opinion, it echos many of Tom Stickel's points in post #73 of the "Uniting Optometry and Ophthalmology" thread

Ruben

This means ODs can do PRK/LASEK. How about laser for cataract surgery???

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15056067

 

[Leukocyte]

I know I will get a lot of heat by saying this but, in all serouisness, ANY surgical procedure (whether in optho, GS, Nsurg, ENT....) is a "Monkey see, Monkey do". Anyone with a half brain can be trained to perform the most complex of procedures.

In other words, it is not the "surgery" in eye care that defines an MD from OD. It is the MEDICAL knowlege......and I think the public are smart enough to choose an MD over an OD when they have a MEDICAL problem related to the eye.

 

[Tony.]

I know I will get a lot of heat by saying this but, in all serouisness, ANY surgical procedure (whether in optho, GS, Nsurg, ENT....) is a "Monkey see, Monkey do". Anyone with a half brain can be trained to perform the most complex of procedures.

In other words, it is not the "surgery" in eye care that defines an MD from OD. It is the MEDICAL knowlege......and I think the public are smart enough to choose an MD over an OD when they have a MEDICAL problem related to the eye.

yeah, i'll agree.
If I needed eye surgery I'd go to an OMD....

---this doesnt really relate to anything, but, just an interesting story,
I was on the train last night getting back home ( i live in boston and dont have a car), anyway, i was sitting next to this old couple and the woman was telling her husband he needed to see an 'ophthalmatrist' !
ah! it was soo funny....
she told him that cleaning his glasses all the time wont help him see better!!
wwwooo, i wanted to just laugh!!

 

[7ontheline]

In other words, it is not the "surgery" in eye care that defines an MD from OD. It is the MEDICAL knowlege......and I think the public are smart enough to choose an MD over an OD when they have a MEDICAL problem related to the eye.

You are correct in saying that most people could be trained to do a basic surgery. However, I doubt that without a comprehensive residency program they would be equipped to handle all aspects of presurgical decision making and possible complications in the OR. I'm not just talking about major things that would obviously be referred (eg dropped nucleus) but I am talking about handling the trickier aspects of a case that prevent that nucleus from dropping.

Also, I think you over-estimate the intelligence of the public if you think that they all know the difference between an MD and an OD. If they did, I don't think there would be any problems in the first place.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

and I think the public are smart enough to choose an MD over an OD when they have a MEDICAL problem related to the eye.

Do NOT assume this.

I have been to Washington D.C. twice, and even the people who run and help run our country don't know the difference.

 

[rubensan]

This means ODs can do PRK/LASEK. How about laser for cataract surgery???

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15056067

Dr. Doan,

I agree that OMDs should draw the line at surgery. I am getting the sense from many on this forum that all laser procedures constitute surgery. Overall, do you believe that the OK resolution fell short? Just wondering....


I'm not really "pissed", I've just always wanted to use this animation.