Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
secretary
Health and Human Resources
Agency
Department of Health Professions
Board
Board of Optometry
Mandate 733

Mandate Information
Mandate Title:
Changes in continuing education for optometrists
Purpose of legislation
Increases the total number of hours of continuing education required for optometrists from 16 to 20, requires that at least 10 of such hours be obtained through real-time interactive activities, and provides that no more than two of such hours may consist of courses related to recordkeeping or the management of an optometry practice, provided that such courses are not primarily for the purpose of augmenting the licensee's income or promoting the sale of specific instruments or products. For TPA-certified optometrists, the bill requires that at least 10 of the 20 hours be in the areas of ocular and general pharmacology; diagnosis and treatment of the human eye and its adnexa, including treatment with new pharmaceutical agents; or new or advanced clinical devices, techniques, modalities, or procedures. The bill allows optometrists who complete more than 20 hours of continuing education in a year to carry forward up to 10 hours to the next year and provides that the Board of Optometry is not prevented or limited from requiring additional hours or types of continuing education as part or in lieu of disciplinary action
Legislation mandating a change Chap 89 (2016)
VAC chapters to be amended
18 vac 105 - 20 : Regulations of the Virginia Board of Optometry
Associated Regulatory Actions
Action 4605: Conforming to Code changes in 2016
Latest Stage: Final
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