The current law on the books does not require explicit enumeration of every privilege and procedure, giving optometrists there more autonomy to evolve their skillsets and offerings as the profession grows.

None secured this scope win in 2023, so this year, advocacy efforts are ramping up to ensure legislators understand the importance of these bills.

The legislation was moved to the ‘suspense file’ by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, meaning there was no vote or rationale provided.

Thanks to persistent advocacy from optometry, ODs will retain the legal right to call themselves doctors and physicians.

LB 216 will soon be voted on by the state’s Health and Human Services Committee following last week’s hearing.

Just prior to a scheduled public hearing, Healthcare Committee members nixed the effort with no further explanation. Undaunted, the ALOA vows to reintroduce in 2024.

This includes those for influenza, COVID-19 and shingles. The law takes effect in 60 days.

The new law, enacted yesterday, will allow qualified ODs in the state to perform chalazion removal, certain injections and non-cosmetic eyelid surgery, as well as use topical and injectable anesthesia and prescribe oral steroids.

In a recent House of Representatives hearing, AOA and AFOS members were able to refute many spurious claims of inadequate training and safety concerns voiced by ophthalmology and organized medicine.

The proposed bill would permit ODs to perform capsulotomy, trabeculoplasty and LPI, as well as remove certain lesions, give injections and prescribe additional pharmaceutical agents.