A turf war has reignited in Tallahassee between optometrists and ophthalmologists over two newly filed bills in the Florida House and Senate.
The proposals, HB 631 in the House and it’s Senate companion, SB 876 would expand the scope of practice for optometrists to allow them to perform limited surgical procedures and prescribe an expanded list of medications – specialties that have long been restricted to ophthalmologists, who have undergone several additional years of specialized training.
The 2021 Legislative Session in Florida officially begins on Tuesday, March 2. Dangerous legislation has already been filed (HB 631/SB 876) which would give the Florida Board of Optometry full control to determine the scope of practice for optometrists. Furthermore the proposed legislation would grant broad and unprecedented surgical privileges to optometrists, who are not medical doctors and who are not trained to perform surgery, including lasers, as well as expand their prescribing privileges to include opioids. With Florida being the epicenter of the opioid epidemic, it would be catastrophic for the Legislature to expand optometry’s prescribing authority to over 4,000 non-medical professionals. This type of dangerous legislation puts the health and well-being of millions of Floridians at risk and we cannot stand by and watch this bill make its way through the Legislature.
Help protect Florida's high standards of patient safety by contacting both your Senator and Representative. Let them know that patient safety is at risk in Florida and ask them to "Vote NO!"
Write your legislators and urge them to vote NO against HB 631/SB 876. Click the appropriate link below and you will be directed to VoterVoice where you will find a template letter that can be edited to send to your legislator.
