American Academy of Ophthalmology: Kentuckians’ Vision Jeopardized with Governor’s Stroke of Pen

Despite an aggressive campaign waged by a coalition of medical groups to educate him on the inherent risks contained in the optometric surgery legislation that flew through the Kentucky legislature, Gov. Steve Beshear turned a blind eye to the dangers and signed SB 110 into law this afternoon. Beshear claims three reasons as the basis for signing the legislation into law, despite the vehement opposition of the Academy, the Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons and the Kentucky Medical Association and so many of you who contacted him. His reasons for signing SB 110:

• “Access to quality health care across the state”
• The overwhelming, bipartisan vote
• The “little or no fiscal impact on the Medicaid budget”

The bill arrived on Gov. Beshear’s desk after the Kentucky House of Representatives voted last Friday to approve the legislation, which threatens the vision of all Kentuckians; the Senate took similar action the previous week. SB 110 grants optometrists authority to perform:

• Laser procedures, including laser trabeculoplasty, peripheral iridotomy, iridoplasty and capsulotomy, YAG capsulotomies, LASEK and laser “only” clear-lens extraction, as well as other laser procedures
• Scalpel procedures, with exceptions
• All methods of administering pharmaceutical agents including injection procedures, except schedules I and II
• Anesthesia, except general anesthesia
• Emergency inoculations, as requested by the commissioner of health