Current through Rules and Regulations filed through March 20, 2024
(1)
Pharmaceutical agents which are used by a doctor of optometry for treatment
purposes may only be:
(a) Non-narcotic oral
analgesics, hydrocodone administered orally, and Schedule III or Schedule IV
controlled substances which are oral analgesics;
(b) Used for ocular pain; and
(c) Used for no more than 72 hours without
consultation with the patient's physician; provided however that with respect
to hydrocodone, used for no more than 48 hours without consultation with the
patient's physician; or
(d) Other
pharmaceutical agents related to the diagnosis or treatment of diseases and
conditions of the eye and adnexa oculi except Schedule I or Schedule II
controlled substances.
(e)
Pharmaceutical agents related to the diagnosis or treatment of diseases and
conditions of the eye and adnexa oculi by injection, except for sub-tenon,
retrobulbar, peribulbar, facial nerve block, subconjunctival anesthetic, dermal
filler, intravenous injections, intramuscular injections, intraorbital nerve
block, intraocular, or botulinum toxin injections, so long as the licensed
optometrist meets the requirements found in the law and the Board's rules
regarding injections.
(2) Doctors of optometry using pharmaceutical
agents shall be held to the same standard of care imposed by Code Section
51-1-27as would be applied to a physician licensed under Chapter 34 of this title
performing similar acts; provided, however, that a doctor of optometry shall
not be authorized to treat systemic diseases.
(3) In addition to the above, the following
pharmaceutical agents may be used for treatment purposes, including ocular
pain, by any doctor of optometry who has been certified pursuant to O.C.G.A.
43-30-1(2)(A,
C & D) to use pharmaceutical agents for treatment purposes:
(a) topical and oral antibiotics;
(b) topical and oral antivirals;
(c) topical and oral antifungals;
(d) topical and oral antiallergy;
(e) topical and oral antiglaucoma;
(f) topical steroids;
(g) topical and oral nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory;
(h) oral
non-narcotic analgesics;
(i) oral
narcotic Schedule III or IV analgesics;
(j) hydrocodone as provided above;
and,
(k) other pharmaceutical
agents related to the diagnosis or treatment of diseases and conditions of the
eye and adnexa oculi, except Schedule I or Schedule II controlled
substances.
O.C.G.A.
§§
43-30-1(2), 43-30-1(2)(C), 43-30-1(2)(D)(i)(I),(ii), 43-30-1(2)(D)(i)(II), 43-30-1(2)(C),(D),(E), 43-30-5.
