March 14, 2022 Group Watch: Senate Passes Board of Optometry Bill
A bill expanding the services and procedures optometrists are allowed to provide in Alabama passed the Senate last week. If it becomes law, the Alabama Board of Optometry would be the sole authority regulating the expansion of certain practices and procedures for optometrists. It would also require optometrists providing these procedures to meet certain training benchmarks. Senator Del Marsh, R-Anniston, sponsored the bill, which also has the steadfast support of Senator Jim McClendon, R-Springville. It also faces Republican opposition. Proponents note than optometrists already train for the procedures in question, including certain eye injections and incisions, and perform them in multiple other states. They say allowing the same to happen in Alabama would expand access to this care. Currently, these procedures are often performed by ophthalmologists, and opponents say it should remain that way.
