Texas Legislators Defend Patient Safety

AUSTIN, Texas, May 6, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Texas Ophthalmological Association:

Last week the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, chaired by Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown), heard and left pending SB 577, a bill that, if enacted, will expand the scope of practice for optometrists to include unsupervised management of glaucoma and the ability to prescribe potent and addictive narcotics. 

Schwertner, an orthopedic surgeon, Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), an ER physician and ophthalmologist, and Sen. Judith Zaffarini (D-Laredo), emphasized the critical need to maintain the highest standards of patient safety and quality care.

"We appreciate our lawmakers who understand education and training are critical to ensuring the safe treatment of patients in Texas.  Glaucoma causes blindness and often requires surgery. You only get one chance with your vision, and the stakes are far too high to relax the standard of care to allow treatment by non-medical doctors," said Austin ophthalmologist Jack Pierce, MD of the Texas Ophthalmological Association. "Optometrists are valued members of the diagnostic eye care team, but their training and expertise does not and should not include the practice of medicine or surgery."

Video of the hearing can be accessed HERE.

During the testimony, Sen. Schwertner posed the pointed question, "So how does an optometrist who is neither trained nor practiced in surgery decide whether or not a person needs surgery and refer a person to surgery?"  In the interest of patient safety, the medical and ophthalmological communities maintain that surgery and independent treatment of eye disease should remain outside the scope of practice for optometrists. The job description of an optometrist is to prescribe and fit corrective lenses and monitor overall eye health.  "These noninvasive procedures simply do not qualify them to diagnose or address diseases of the eye, such as glaucoma," said Pierce. 

Pierce went on to say, "Unlike ophthalmologists, optometrists do not attend medical school, do not complete a surgical residency, and do not receive thorough training to independently treat a blinding eye disease like glaucoma. Only ophthalmologists, who are trained surgeons, have the expertise to determine how best to treat glaucoma and determine whether a patient needs surgery."

"We commend the members of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services for protecting the health and safety of Texans by leaving the scalpels, lasers, and medical privileges to those who have the necessary level of medical education and clinical training," Pierce added.

The legislation's companion bill, HB 1420, has not yet been heard in the Texas House of Representatives.

For more information, please visit www.texansforsafesurgery.org.

About the TOA: The Texas Ophthalmological Association (TOA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1956 to promote and advance the science and art of medical eye care. TOA provides continuing medical education programs to members and provides representation to various legislative, regulatory, and associative bodies.

SOURCE Texas Ophthalmological Association

Related Links

http://www.texaseyes.org