The proposed changes to the Alberta Optometrists Profession Regulation were first discussed with the Department of Health & Wellness in 2007. In December, 2009, a preliminary draft of the proposed changes was circulated to various stakeholders for comment. Many stakeholders remarked that the circulated document was concise in identifying those specific areas that were proposed to be changed, but contained little to no information on similar legislation in other jurisdictions, certification protocols and updated practice standards. We hope the following document addresses this matter.

Although, optometrists had been using over-the-counter diagnostic drugs for many years, it was not until 1971 that Rhode Island became the first North American jurisdiction to legislate optometric use scheduled diagnostic drugs. West Virginia quickly followed in 1976 with the first diagnostic and treatment drug legislation. All other states quickly followed with their own legislation. To date, laws establishing or expanding prescriptive or treatment authority for optometrists have been enacted 174 times while laws diminishing or repealing prescriptive or treatment authority for optometrists have never been enacted. < ACO Prescriptive Authority Laws >

In the United States, all states except for Massachusetts and Maryland allow for the independent treatment of glaucoma by optometrists.
< Glaucoma Color PPT > < Glaucoma Tx Summary >

In the United States, all states except three (Florida, Massachusetts and New York) allow optometrists to prescribe oral drugs.
< Oral Rx Summary >

In the United States, all states allow optometrists to use injections to treat anaphylaxis with several states allowing a wider authority.
< Injectable Agent Administration > < Injectable PPT >

Only one jurisdiction, Oklahoma, allows optometrists to use a laser for surgical purposes. In all other American jurisdictions, optometrists may use lasers in a Federal Institution if they qualify for and maintain an Oklahoma license. In Canada, optometrists currently use laser-based technology for diagnostic purposes only.

As mentioned in previous documents, should the proposed changes be enacted, all optometrists would have to pass a certification process in order to be considered competent in of all these new areas. The certification process would be similar to the one that all optometrists went through in 1996 when Alberta became the first Canadian jurisdiction authorizing optometrists to prescribe treatment pharmaceutical agents.

The ACO Standards of Practice would also be redrafted to include appropriate standards for these new areas. Although, appropriate standards could be drafted in advance of any legislative change, they cannot be enacted until the new legislation is proclaimed.