2006 Nebraska Revised Statutes - § 71-1,135.02 — Optometrist; pharmaceutical agents; use; certification; treatment of glaucoma.

Section 71-1,135.02
Optometrist; pharmaceutical agents; use; certification; treatment of glaucoma.

(1)(a) No optometrist licensed in this state, except an optometrist who has been certified by the department prior to April 30, 1987, or by another state with substantially equivalent requirements for certification as determined by the department upon recommendation of the Board of Optometry to use topical ocular pharmaceutical agents for diagnostic purposes prior to April 30, 1987, shall use topical ocular pharmaceutical agents for diagnostic purposes authorized under subdivision (2) of section 71-1,133 unless such person (i) submits to the board the required fee and evidence of satisfactory completion of a pharmacology course at an institution accredited by a regional or professional accrediting organization which is recognized by the United States Department of Education and approved by the Department of Health and Human Services Regulation and Licensure, (ii) passes an examination approved by the department, and (iii) has been certified by the department upon the recommendation of the board as qualified to use topical ocular pharmaceutical agents for diagnostic purposes.

(b) The department may approve for certification pursuant to subdivision (1)(a)(i) of this section a pharmacology course if such course includes:

(i) A study of ocular anesthetics, mydriatics, cycloplegics, ocular toxicity of pharmaceutical agents, ocular allergies of ocular agents, and pharmacologic effects of ocular drug substances;

(ii) The consideration of the mechanism of action of anesthetics, cycloplegics, and mydriatics in human beings and the uses of such substances in the diagnosis of occurring ocular disorders;

(iii) At least one hundred hours of classroom education, clinical training, and examination; and

(iv) The correlation of the utilization of pharmaceutical agents and optical instrumentation and procedures.

(c) The department may approve for certification pursuant to subdivision (1)(a)(ii) of this section an examination if such examination is:

(i) Based upon the competencies taught in a pharmacology course; and

(ii) Administered by an institution accredited by a regional or professional accrediting organization which is recognized by the United States Department of Education and approved by the Department of Health and Human Services Regulation and Licensure.

(2)(a) No optometrist licensed in this state on or after April 30, 1987, shall use topical ocular pharmaceutical agents for therapeutic purposes authorized under subdivision (3) of section 71-1,133 unless such person (i) submits to the board the required fee and evidence of satisfactory completion of a minimum of one hundred hours since January 1, 1984, of which forty hours shall be classroom education and sixty hours shall be supervised clinical training as it applies to optometry with particular emphasis on the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of the eye, ocular adnexa, and visual system offered by a school or college approved by the department, (ii) passes an examination approved by the department, (iii) has been certified by the department upon the recommendation of the board to use topical ocular pharmaceutical agents for therapeutic purposes, and (iv) has been certified by the department upon the recommendation of the board to use topical ocular pharmaceutical agents for diagnostic purposes.

(b) The department may approve for certification pursuant to subdivision (2)(a)(i) of this section a therapeutic course or courses of instruction, from an institution accredited by a regional or professional accrediting organization which is recognized by the United States Department of Education, that have been completed after January 1, 1984. Such course or courses shall include, but not be limited to:

(i) Review of general pharmacology and therapeusis;

(ii) Review of ocular therapeutic pharmacology;

(iii) Diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the eye, ocular adnexa, and visual system;

(iv) Diagnosis of corneal disease and trauma including corneal foreign bodies;

(v) Diagnosis and treatment of anterior segment eye diseases;

(vi) Clinical procedures related to the diagnosis and treatment of the eye, ocular adnexa, and visual system;

(vii) Ocular manifestations of systemic disease;

(viii) Review of systemic disease syndromes;

(ix) Ocular therapy including management of acute systemic emergencies; and

(x) Consultation criteria in ocular disease and trauma.

(3)(a) An optometrist who is licensed and certified to use pharmaceutical agents for therapeutic purposes on July 15, 1998, who graduated from an accredited school of optometry prior to January 1, 1996, shall complete the educational requirements relative to the treatment of glaucoma, as determined by the board, prior to January 1, 2000, and shall complete such educational requirements prior to treating glaucoma. Failure to complete such education prior to January 1, 2000, shall result in the revocation of the licensee's certification to use pharmaceutical agents for therapeutic purposes.

(b) An optometrist who applies for licensure on or after July 15, 1998, who graduated from an accredited school of optometry prior to January 1, 1996, shall complete the educational requirements relative to the treatment of glaucoma, as determined by the board, prior to being issued a license to practice optometry.

(c) An optometrist who graduated from an accredited school of optometry after January 1, 1996, shall be deemed to have met the educational requirements for certification to use pharmaceutical agents for therapeutic purposes which includes the treatment and management of glaucoma.

Source:

Laws 1979, LB 9, § 5

Laws 1986, LB 131, § 3

Laws 1987, LB 116, § 2

Laws 1988, LB 1100, § 41

Laws 1994, LB 987, § 1

Laws 1996, LB 1044, § 439

Laws 1998, LB 369, § 5

Laws 1999, LB 828, § 96

Laws 2003, LB 242, § 50

~Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska