Two Scope Wins Secured in 2025, Several on Deck for 2026

Since January, two states (West Virginia and Montana) have passed laws granting laser and minor procedure authority to optometrists, bringing the total count of laser states to 14. Click image to enlarge. As 2025 winds down, optometry’s state-by-state push to modernize scope of practice saw both progress and pause. More than a dozen states introduced bills this year to align optometric authority—including in-office laser and minor surgical procedures—with current training, but only West Virginia and Montana crossed the finish line this spring, becoming the 13th and 14th laser states in April and May, respectively. Most other efforts stalled in committee due to tight calendars or ongoing negotiations and expired with session deadlines, though many are poised to return in 2026.Laser legislation remains active in Ohio and is expected to carry into the new year. In New Jersey, two identical bills are still on the docket for 2025 but have seen little movement; with the session ending in early January, both measures will lapse unless lawmakers act before adjournment. Here’s an update on the status of efforts in both states:OhioAll year long, the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA) has dedicated its time and resources to advocating for scope of practice bill, SB 36. The document proposes giving Ohio optometrists the right to remove benign lesions, cysts and skin tags, as well as use therapeutic lasers, including SLT, capsulotomy and LPI—procedures that most of Ohio’s border states already allow ODs to perform. It also seeks to expand ODs’ prescribing authority by adopting a broader definition of “therapeutic pharmaceutical agent.” While the bill has made little headway since its introduction back in January, the state’s Senate Health Committee heard proponent and opponent testimonies in October. Now, the OOA reports that they are awaiting the next steps. Given that this is a two-year bill, the legislative process is anticipated to stretch into 2026. The OOA put out a fact sheet about SB 36 highlighting the various ways in which the legislation will benefit the state, such as by incentivizing well-trained optometrists to join the workforce, decreasing wait times for patients and freeing up ophthalmologists’ time to perform more operating room procedures.New JerseyIdentical two-year bills were introduced to the New Jersey Assembly (AB 920) and Senate (SB 354) in early 2024. Similar to Ohio’s, the proposed New Jersey legislation aims to grant ODs in the state several additional practice privileges, including three laser procedures—SLT, capsulotomy and LPI—removal of styes and skin tags and an expansion of vaccine and prescription authority. While neither New Jersey bill has moved up the ladder since 2024—and less than two months remain until this year’s session adjourns—bipartisan support for the legislation has continued to grow. Two New Jersey Senators sponsoring the bill published a media piece over the summer in the New Jersey Globe, outlining how modernizing the scope of practice for optometrists will help residents across the state receive more timely eye care. They point out that there are close to twice as many optometrists as ophthalmologists practicing in New Jersey. As they put it, “The fact of the matter is there simply aren’t enough ophthalmologists available to perform these procedures, and as New Jersey’s population ages, the demand for laser procedures will only increase.”Currently, AB 920 awaits a second reading before the full Assembly—which hasn’t yet been scheduled—and SB 354 is pending consideration in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.What’s in Store for 2026Despite the modest tally of wins this year, the addition of West Virginia and Montana to the roster of laser states is a meaningful step that underscores steady momentum. Advocates spent 2025 building coalitions, educating lawmakers and refining bill language—work that positions many states to re-engage with stronger footing when legislatures reconvene next year.Optometry’s modernization push remains very much alive. Even though progress is gradual, the direction is clear—and patient access stands to benefit as the map continues to fill in.This article was developed by the editorial staff in conjunction with experts in the field. In the process, AI may have been among the editorial tools used to meet the goals of human editors, who approved all content.