093_SB0124 LRB093 06985 AMC 07135 b 1 AN ACT concerning optometry. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 5 is amended by changing Section 15.1 as follows: 6 (225 ILCS 80/15.1) 7 (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2007) 8 Sec. 15.1. Diagnostic and therapeutic certification. 9 (a) Any licensed optometrist may apply to the 10 Department, in the form the Department may prescribe, for a 11 certificate to use diagnostic topical ocular pharmaceutical 12 agents and the Department shall certify the applicant if: 13 (1) the applicant has received appropriate training 14 and certification from a properly accredited institution 15 of higher learning for the certificate; and 16 (2) the applicant has demonstrated training and 17 competence to use diagnostic topical ocular 18 pharmaceutical agents as required by the Board pursuant 19 to rule or regulation approved by the Board and adopted 20 by the Department. 21 A certificate to use topical ocular pharmaceutical agents 22 for diagnostic purposes previously issued by the Department 23 that is current and valid on the effective date of this 24 amendatory Act of 1995 is valid until its expiration date and 25 entitles the holder of the certificate to use diagnostic 26 topical ocular pharmaceutical agents as provided in this Act. 27 (b) Any licensed optometrist may apply to the 28 Department, in the form the Department may prescribe, for a 29 certificate to use therapeutic ocular pharmaceutical agents 30 and the Department shall certify the applicant if: 31 (1) the applicant has received a certificate to use -2- LRB093 06985 AMC 07135 b 1 diagnostic topical ocular pharmaceutical agents under 2 subsection (a); 3 (2) the applicant has received appropriate training 4 and certification from a properly accredited institution 5 of higher learning for the certificate; and 6 (3) the applicant has demonstrated training and 7 competence to use therapeutic ocular pharmaceutical 8 agents as required by the Board pursuant to rule or 9 regulation approved by the Board and adopted by the 10 Department. 11 All applicants for license renewal after January 1, 2030 122006must apply for and maintain certification to use 13 therapeutic ocular pharmaceutical agents. 14 (c) For purposes of the Act, "diagnostic topical ocular 15 pharmaceutical agents" means anesthetics, mydriatics, 16 cycloplegics, and miotics used for diagnostic purposes as 17 defined by the Board pursuant to rule approved by the Board 18 and adopted by the Department. 19 (d) For the purposes of the Act, "therapeutic ocular 20 pharmaceutical agents" means the following when used for 21 diagnostic or therapeutic purposes: topical anti-infective 22 agents, topical anti-allergy agents, topical anti-glaucoma 23 agents, topical anti-inflammatory agents, topical anesthetic 24 agents, over the counter agents, non-narcotic oral analgesic 25 agents, and mydriatic reversing agents. 26 (e) A licensed optometrist who is therapeutically 27 certified may remove superficial foreign bodies from the 28 human eye and adnexa. 29 (e-5) A licensed optometrist who is therapeutically 30 certified may give orders for patient care related to the use 31 of therapeutic ocular pharmaceutical agents to a nurse 32 licensed to practice under Illinois law. 33 (f) An optometrist's certificate to use diagnostic 34 topical ocular pharmaceutical agents shall be revoked or -3- LRB093 06985 AMC 07135 b 1 suspended by the Department upon recommendation of the Board 2 based on the misuse of any diagnostic topical ocular 3 pharmaceutical agent. 4 (g) An optometrist's certificate to use therapeutic 5 ocular pharmaceutical agents shall be revoked or suspended by 6 the Department upon recommendation of the Board based on the 7 misuse of any therapeutic ocular pharmaceutical agent. 8 (h) An optometrist's license shall be revoked or 9 suspended by the Department upon recommendation of the Board 10 based upon either of the following causes: 11 (1) grave or repeated misuse of any diagnostic or 12 therapeutic ocular pharmaceutical agent; and 13 (2) the use of any agent or procedure in the course 14 of optometric practice by an optometrist not properly 15 certified under this Section. 16 (i) The provisions of Sections 26.2, 26.3, 26.5, 26.10, 17 26.11, 26.14, and 26.15 of this Act shall apply to all 18 disciplinary proceedings brought under this Section. 19 (j) The Director may temporarily suspend a certificate 20 to use diagnostic topical ocular pharmaceuticals or a 21 certificate to use therapeutic ocular pharmaceuticals or a 22 license to practice optometry, without a hearing, 23 simultaneously with the institution of proceedings for a 24 hearing based upon a violation of subsection (f), (g), or (h) 25 of this Section, if the Director finds that evidence in his 26 or her possession indicates that the continued use of 27 diagnostic topical ocular pharmaceuticals, or therapeutic 28 ocular pharmaceuticals, or continued practice of optometry 29 would constitute an immediate danger to the public. In the 30 event that the Director temporarily suspends a certificate to 31 use diagnostic topical ocular pharmaceuticals, therapeutic 32 ocular pharmaceuticals, or a license to practice optometry 33 without a hearing, a hearing by the Board shall be commenced 34 within 15 days after suspension has occurred, and concluded -4- LRB093 06985 AMC 07135 b 1 without appreciable delay. 2 (k) The Director of the Department of Professional 3 Regulation shall notify the Director of the Department of 4 Public Health as to the categories of ocular pharmaceutical 5 agents permitted for use by an optometrist. The Director of 6 the Department of Public Health shall in turn notify every 7 licensed pharmacist in the State of the categories of ocular 8 pharmaceutical agents that can be utilized and prescribed by 9 an optometrist. 10 (l) Nothing in this Act prohibits the use of diagnostic 11 topical ocular pharmaceutical agents or therapeutic ocular 12 pharmaceutical agents in the practice of optometry by 13 optometrists certified for such use under this Section. 14 (Source: P.A. 90-73, eff. 7-8-97; 91-141, eff. 7-16-99.) 15 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 16 becoming law.