Chapter 430-10 CERTIFICATION FOR USE OF THERAPEUTIC AGENTS
A doctor of optometry may be certified by the Board to use
pharmaceutical agents for treatment purposes only if all of the following
conditions are met:
| (a) |
The doctor of
optometry is already certified to use pharmaceutical agents for diagnostic
purposes; |
| (b) |
The doctor of
optometry has passed or passes an examination approved by the Board which tests
knowledge of pharmacology for treatment and management of ocular diseases;
and |
| (c) |
Written proof that the
doctor of optometry has passed an approved therapeutic examination is received
by the Board from the examination provider. |
| (1) |
The following examination has been
approved by the Board as meeting the requirements for therapeutic
certification:
| (a) |
The National Board of
Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) examination in "Treatment and Management of
Ocular Disease" (TMOD). |
|
| (2) |
The Board reserves the right to approve
additional examinations for therapeutic certification upon evidence provided to
the Board that such examinations adequately test knowledge of pharmacology for
treatment and management of ocular diseases. |
| (3) |
The only examination approved at this
time for certification to use therapeutic agents is the TMOD examination or an
equivalency score from the National Board for the content of the TMOD
administered with Part 2: Clinical Science. |
| (1) |
Pharmaceutical agents which are used by a doctor of optometry for treatment
purposes may only be:
| (a) |
Non-narcotic oral
analgesics, hydrocodone administered orally, and Schedule III or Schedule IV
controlled substances which are oral analgesics; |
| (b) |
Used for ocular pain; and |
| (c) |
Used for no more than 72 hours without
consultation with the patient's physician; provided however that with respect
to hydrocodone, used for no more than 48 hours without consultation with the
patient's physician; or |
| (d) |
Other
pharmaceutical agents related to the diagnosis or treatment of diseases and
conditions of the eye and adnexa oculi except Schedule I or Schedule II
controlled substances. |
| (e) |
Pharmaceutical agents related to the diagnosis or treatment of diseases and
conditions of the eye and adnexa oculi by injection, except for sub-tenon,
retrobulbar, peribulbar, facial nerve block, subconjunctival anesthetic, dermal
filler, intravenous injections, intramuscular injections, intraorbital nerve
block, intraocular, or botulinum toxin injections, so long as the licensed
optometrist meets the requirements found in the law and the Board's rules
regarding injections. |
|
| (2) |
Doctors of optometry using pharmaceutical
agents shall be held to the same standard of care imposed by Code Section
51-1-27
as would be applied to a physician licensed under Chapter 34 of this title
performing similar acts; provided, however, that a doctor of optometry shall
not be authorized to treat systemic diseases. |
| (3) |
In addition to the above, the following
pharmaceutical agents may be used for treatment purposes, including ocular
pain, by any doctor of optometry who has been certified pursuant to O.C.G.A.
43-30-1(2)(A,
C & D) to use pharmaceutical agents for treatment purposes:
| (a) |
topical and oral antibiotics; |
| (b) |
topical and oral antivirals; |
| (c) |
topical and oral antifungals; |
| (d) |
topical and oral antiallergy; |
| (e) |
topical and oral antiglaucoma; |
| (g) |
topical and oral nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory; |
| (h) |
oral
non-narcotic analgesics; |
| (i) |
oral
narcotic Schedule III or IV analgesics; |
| (j) |
hydrocodone as provided above;
and, |
| (k) |
other pharmaceutical
agents related to the diagnosis or treatment of diseases and conditions of the
eye and adnexa oculi, except Schedule I or Schedule II controlled
substances. |
|
The license of any doctor of optometry who commits any of the
following acts has engaged in unprofessional conduct and shall be subject to
disciplinary sanctions pursuant to O.C.G.A.
43-1-19
and
43-30-9:
| (a) |
using any pharmaceutical agent for
treatment purposes prior to becoming certified to use such agents by the
Board; |
| (b) |
using any pharmaceutical
agent for treatment purposes which is not contained in Rule
430-10-.03; |
| (c) |
administering or prescribing any
pharmaceutical agent for treatment purposes before obtaining $1,000,000 in
Professional Liability Insurance and becoming certified in Cardiovascular
Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Auditing of these requirements will be handled
as the auditing for continuing education. |
