A new Iowa law granting optometrists (ODs) the authority to administer local anesthesia for minor surgical procedures officially went into effect on July 1, 2023.
I need some background on this.
In 2020—amid victories in expanding ODs’ scope of practice— Iowa legislators passed legislation which allows ODs with the proper training to treat certain eye conditions with injections and Botox injections for cosmetic procedures including:
- Subconjunctival injection for medical treatment of the eye
- Intralesional injections for chalazia
- Botulinum toxin into the muscles of facial expression innervated by the facial nerve, including for cosmetic purposes
- Injections to counteract anaphylactic reactions
Per the law, ODs could perform these new procedures on the condition that they “demonstrate to the [Board of Optometry] sufficient educational or clinical training.” Further, the board is required to adopt rules for training.
Go on…
Of importance: a line was added to the text of legislation that passed in 2020 that blocked ODs from using injectable anesthetics.
Then what?
Iowa ODs reintroduced that same line to the state’s scope of practice into the 2023 legislation session.
And on April 28, 2023, with bipartisan support from the Iowa Senate (48-2) and House (90-8), Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law HF 347.
What does the bill say?
HF 347 reads that ODs are allowed to use “local anesthetics prior to a minor surgical procedure authorized by this chapter.”
Why so short?
HF 347 consists of just one subparagraph that amends an existing section from the 2020 bill relating to the administration of injections by ODs.
What does it mean?
In an email to Glance, Iowa Optometric Association (IOA) Executive Director Gary Ellis stated, "putting the local anesthetics back in [to the 2020 bill] allows those [ODs] who went through the additional training the opportunity to treat properly treat patients using local anesthetics for procedures Iowa ODs have already been trained to perform.:
But it doesn’t mention any training requirements…
That’s true. Nor does it request the Board of Optometry to develop rules.
This is because all relevant training and coursework were included in the original 2020 bill.
What other legislation is out there?
Filed this year, the list includes:
- Nebraska: LB 216 (introduced Jan. 10, 2023)
- Connecticut: Raised SB-899 (introduced Jan. 25, 2023)
- California: AB-765 (introduced Feb. 13, 2023)
- Massachusetts: Bill H.3606 (introduced March 9, 2023)
- Texas: HB 2324 (introduced March 9, 2023)
- Wisconsin: SB143 (introduced March 23, 2023)
- North Carolina: H576 (filed April 5, 2023)
- New Jersey: A-5445 (introduced May 15, 2023)
- New Jersey: S3841 (introduced May 15, 2023)
- New Hampshire SB200 (introduced May 18, 2023)
*Disclaimer: The information provided in this article does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, materials available herein are for general information purposes only.