Senate committee hears testimony on SB 36 to expand optometrists' office-based procedures

The Senate Health Committee held a second hearing on Senate Bill 36, a measure to revise Ohio law governing the practice of optometry, hearing testimony from optometry leaders about patient access, training and safety.

Dr. Elizabeth Muckley, executive director of the Ohio Optometric Association, told the committee SB 36 "would authorize doctors of optometry to perform non operating room office based procedures to remove benign eyelid lesions, permit three non invasive laser procedures, and eliminate outdated oral prescribing restrictions." She said the change would "modernize the optometric scope of practice for Ohio for the first time in nearly two decades."

Supporters argued the bill is intended to reduce patient wait times and improve access. "SB 36 is about patients, not providers," Muckley said, saying many Ohio optometrists already perform these procedures in neighboring states and that the bill would allow those patients to be treated locally by…