As a fully trained eye surgeon, it is very concerning to me that Virginia would be considering allowing non-physicians who are non-surgeons to do laser and other incisional surgery, which means cutting on the structures of the eye and inside the eye. I grew up in Virginia, and much of my family still lives there and I want my older relatives to have access to properly trained surgeons to take care of the surgical needs of their eyes. Optometrists are wonderful eye doctors, but they are not surgeons and as someone who trains medical doctors to become eye surgeons, and someone who does these lasers herself, it takes a lot more than a weekend course to know how to properly use these lasers without blinding people because that is what is at stake. Please protect the yees of Virginians. Eye surgery should only be done by fully trained eye surgeons. 

Thank you