NHOA Advocacy Center
One person can make a difference and everyone should try. - John F. Kennedy
2024
The NHOA has introduced significant legislation for the 2024 legislative session which will bring the profession of optometry in New Hampshire from a state of antiquated restrictions to a state of modernized and contemporary authority.
SB 440 seeks to:
- Grant authority for the NH Board of Optometry to regulate the scope of optometry without needing to repeatedly pass new legislation, within parameters/exclusions which would continue to remain outside the scope of optometry per statute (eg cataract surgery, retinal procedures, etc), and elimination of the Joint Credentialing Committee (an inactive committee for granting new glaucoma certification to seasoned optometrists).
- Modify/expand prescriptive authority of ODs (eliminating some restrictions to 'topical only', allowing hydrocodone and hydrocodone combinations).
- Allow laser procedures such as YAG, LPI, SLT.
- Allow microsurgical procedures such as "lumps & bumps" and the use of injectables for certain anterior conditions.
- Modify CE requirements (minimum of 20 live/synchronous hours, no indication for additional 'class 2 hours' as previous, with 10 of the 20 hours on pathology/pharmacology (but not specifically glaucoma)).
SB 440 News, Updates & Action Items
#1 - NHOA - SB 440 Explained
NHOA Legislative Committee Co-Chairs Dr. Angel Sawyer and Dr. Alison Loranger frame the discussion regarding the importance of SB-440.
#2 - NHOA Advanced Procedures Are Taught in every Optometry School in the U.S.
Did you know that all 24 Optometry Schools in the U.S. must teach and train the advanced procedures that would be allowed under SB-440? How it will work and why is it needed?
Under the bill, the Board of Optometry will determine the qualifications for each Optometrist to perform these advanced procedures based upon education and training.
Optometrists have been using advanced procedures that this bill will allow in 11 states, some of those for decades!
Access, access, access.... The wait time for these advanced procedures in ophthalmology practices in New Hampshire is anywhere from 2 to 6 months! These delays are costly,
#3 - NHOA - The problem is getting worse... Allow us to practice the way that we were trained.
Safe quality eye care is not exclusive to ophthalmology.
