Pennsylvania Statutes Title 63 P.S. Professions and Occupations (State Licensed) § 244.2. Definitions

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section:

“Advisory Committee on Continuing Professional Education.”An advisory committee established pursuant to section 3  1 to make recommendations to the board relating to continuing professional education.

“Board.” The State Board of Optometry.

“Examination and diagnosis.”Any examination or diagnostic means or method compatible with optometric education and professional competence. The term shall encompass the use of topical and oral pharmaceutical agents approved by the board as provided in section 4.3  2 for diagnostic purposes, including miotics, mydriatics, cycloplegics, topical anesthetics and dyes when applied topically to the eye, subject to the rules and regulations of the board, provided however that with respect to optometrists licensed before March 1, 1974, only such optometrists who have satisfactorily completed a course in pharmacology as it applies to optometry, with particular emphasis on the topical application of diagnostic pharmaceutical agents to the eye, approved by the board shall be permitted to use diagnostic pharmaceutical agents topically in the practice of optometry.

“Fitting of contact lenses.”A procedure in which a prescribed contact lens is placed upon the eye of a patient and the lens-cornea relationship is evaluated with the use of a biomicroscope or slit-lamp.

“Optometrist.” Any person who, following formal and recognized training in the art and science of optometry has received a doctor of optometry degree from an accredited institution and is qualified to seek or has acquired a license to practice the profession of optometry. An optometrist shall be identified either by “Doctor of Optometry,” “O.D.,” or “Dr.” followed by “Optometrist.”

“Practice of optometry.”

(1) The use of any and all means or methods for the examination, diagnosis and treatment of all conditions of the human visual system. The term shall include:

(i) The examination for, and adapting and fitting of, any and all kinds and types of lenses, including contact lenses.

(ii) The administration and prescription of all legend and nonlegend drugs, either by topical or oral routes of administration, approved by the board in section 4.3 for the treatment of the eye, the eyelids, the lacrimal system and the conjunctiva, including codeine and hydrocodone combinations, so long as the treatment of diseases or conditions of the visual system, other than glaucoma, dry eyes or allergies, as authorized under this paragraph shall not continue beyond six weeks from the initiation of treatment unless the prescribing optometrist documents consultation with a licensed physician. As used in this paragraph, the initiation of treatment may, but need not, include the prescription or administration of pharmaceutical agents for therapeutic purposes. The prescription of Schedule II controlled substances containing codeine and hydrocodone combinations may not exceed a 72-hour supply.

(iii) The removal of superficial foreign bodies from the ocular surface or adnexa.

(iv) Epinephrine auto-injectors for anaphylaxis.

(v) The ordering and interpretation of angiography via noninvasive imaging, which shall only include optical coherence tomography.

(vi) The administration and prescription of all legend and nonlegend drugs approved by the board under section 4.3 for the treatment of glaucoma.

(2), (3) Deleted by 2020, Oct. 29, P.L. 1038, No. 99, § 1, effective in 60 days [Dec. 28, 2020].

(4) The term shall not include:

(i) Surgery, including, but not limited to, diagnostic, exploratory, palliative, therapeutic, rehabilitative, cosmetic, reconstructive, refractive, light-based or laser surgery; or the use of lasers for therapeutic purposes.

(ii) Injections, other than the use of epinephrine auto-injectors for anaphylaxis.

(iii) The use of Schedule I and Schedule II controlled substances, except for the use of codeine and hydrocodone combinations.

(iv) The prevention and treatment of systemic disease.

“Treatment.” The use of any and all preventive and corrective means and methods for aid to the human visual system and shall include but is not limited to the adapting and fitting of any and all kinds and types of lenses and devices including contact lenses and the provision of vision developmental and perceptual therapy or ocular exercise for aid to or enhancement of visual functions.