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Optometry board touts faster licensing and new mobile/home programs; mobile clinic cap questioned
Summary
The Board of Optometry reported major reductions in licensing turnaround times and launched mobile and home-based optometry programs to expand access; lawmakers and stakeholders pressed for removal or revision of a 12-unit cap on mobile clinics and raised concerns about scope-of-practice changes involving radio-frequency treatments.
The California State Board of Optometry told a joint Assembly and Senate sunset hearing that it has overhauled licensing operations, reduced application turnaround to days, and implemented regulations to allow mobile optometric offices and home-based vision care — steps the board said will increase access to eye care for underserved children and homebound patients.
Board president Dr. Jeffrey Garcia and executive officer Gregory Pruden told the committees that licensing turnaround for new optometry graduates has fallen from about three months to less than three days for completed applications, and that continuing-education audit activity has been reconstituted (the board now samples roughly 7.5% of renewing optometrists for CE compliance). The board also has finalized regulations for two access programs: a mobile optometric…
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