Tennessee Becomes 16th State to Expand Scope of Practice for ODs

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Tennessee this month became the 16th state overall and the second this year to authorize optometrists to use ophthalmic lasers with the passage of Senate bill 2076 and its signed approval on April 14 by Governor Bill Lee. Coming just a month after a similar bill was passed in Kansas, the measure focuses primarily on optometric laser authority, procedural boundaries, and clinical standards, notes the American Optometric Association (AOA). It adds treatment of the eye, eyelids, and adnexa into the statute, newly authorizing certain laser procedures for diagnosis and treatment of anterior eye conditions, and “modernizes and clarifies optometric practice,” the AOA stated. Full laser authority will begin in 2028 for certified optometrists.