Florida's House Health Quality Subcommittee approved HB 1037, allowing optometrists to perform certain eye surgeries, Saint Peters Blog reports.
Here's what you should know.
1. The bill narrowly passed through the House committee. Rep. Manny Diaz, R-District 103, proposed the measure to increase access to care in rural areas.
2. The Florida Society of Ophthalmology and the American College of Surgeons oppose the bill.
3. Ophthalmologists are largely against the bill, claiming optometrists do not have the same medical trainings or qualifications.
4. Gov. Rick Scott (R) signed a bill in 2013 allowing optometrists to prescribe some oral medications, after undergoing additional training and requiring increased medical malpractice insurance. Optometrists were also required to report all adverse events.
5. The Florida Society of Ophthalmology's President Adam Katz, MD, said the vote was disheartening.
"The bill language, created without the consultation of a single ophthalmologist, allows optometrists to bypass medical school and begin performing surgery after a brief period of instruction. The first patient an optometrist performs surgery on will be their first experience with a live patient. This puts the health and well-being of all Floridians in jeopardy and drastically lowers the standard of care our patients deserve," he said to Saint Peters Blog.