As a doctor of medicine who has taken a solemn oath to do no harm, I am extremely troubled by a bill sponsored by state Rep. Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah, that would allow optometrists — practitioners who do not go to medical school — to use scalpels and lasers to perform surgery on the human eye.
The 2025 Legislative Session in Florida officially begins on Tuesday, March 4. Dangerous legislation has already been filed (HB 449) 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 Representative. Let them know that patient safety is at risk in Florida and ask them to "Vote NO!"
On Thursday, April 24, dangerous legislation (HB 449) passed the Florida House. This bill has been sent to the Senate and is awaiting action. There is no companion bill but we must remain vigilant and are urging all ophthalmologists and Floridians to contact their Senators to discuss the dangers of this legislation. This bill is pushing to give the Florida Board of Optometry full control to determine the scope of practice for optometrists and in addition is seeking to expand their scope to include injections, scalpel eyelid and laser eye surgery. Finally, if this legislation passes it would also extend optometry’s prescribing authority to virtually all oral medications, including opioids.
We need all ophthalmologists and Floridians to call and email their legislators. Click here to find your Senator.