Vermont Senate Bill S.158 would allow optometrists to perform certain superficial surgeries, including injections of anesthetic, removal of skin tags from around the eyes and certain laser procedures, VTDigger reported Feb. 20.
Optometrists’ push for surgical privileges in Vermont started in 2019. A study released the next year determined that granting optometrists’ request could pose risks to patient safety, and that there was “little need for, and minimal cost savings associated with” the expansion, the report said.
“Just because people are seeing artificial eyeballs and this is being talked about in optometry school doesn’t mean that they should be doing this routinely,” said David Herlihy, executive director of the Vermont Board of Medical Practice, according to the report.
“It probably does make them better optometrists … but as far as the board is concerned, more training is needed [for surgeries],” he said.
The bill is expected to be reviewed in the coming weeks.
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