About “Better Access to Quality Eye Care Law”

The Better Access to Quality Eye Care Law was passed by the General Assembly to expand the range of services your Doctor of Optometry can provide, greatly expanding eye health care options for all Kentuckians. Expanded services would include

• Modern, cost-effective routes of drug administration.
• Removal of “lumps and bumps” around the eye by the most effective means.
• New technologies for simple, in-office procedures that treat conditions your Doctor of Optometry already manages

Because over three million Kentuckians are currently served by Doctors of Optometry, these services will be much easier to access. Also, fewer referrals mean reduced Medicaid costs, fewer office visits and less transportation.

The legislation simply clarifies that the Board of Optometric Examiners has the authority to determine the scope of optometry and set competency standards, like other doctoral level regulatory boards in Kentucky already do.

This law does not expand optometric prescriptive authority. Kentucky optometrists have been safely prescribing drugs for decades. It does not increase the scope of optometry beyond the eye and its appendages (the eyelid and surrounding areas, the eyebrows, and the tear duct system). Optometrists will not be performing cataract extractions, retinal surgery, Lasik or other listed procedures.