Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a)
Number of hours required to renew.
(1) The
Texas Optometry Act requires each optometrist licensed in this state to take 16
hours of continuing education per calendar year with at least six hours in the
diagnosis or treatment of ocular disease. Beginning with the 2021 license
renewal, at least 12 hours of the required 16 hours shall be in the diagnosis
or treatment of ocular disease. The subject of at least one hour of the
required 16 hours shall be professional responsibility. The calendar year is
considered to begin January 1 and run through December 31.
(2) Hours required beginning with the 2023
license renewal.
(A) 32 hours of continuing
education taken during the two-year period preceding license renewal.
(B) 24 hours of the required 32 hours shall
be in the diagnosis or treatment of ocular disease.
(C) Two hours of the required 32 hours shall
be in professional responsibility as defined in subsection (b)(1)(H) of this
section.
(b)
Providers.
(1) The Board has determined that
the following providers who provide courses in subjects directly related to
optometry may satisfy the criteria for acceptable continuing education hours
and may be given automatic approval:
(A)
Courses sponsored by an optometry college or school accredited by the American
Optometric Council on Education (ACOE);
(B) Courses sponsored by the American
Optometric Association (AOA) or an affiliate of the AOA;
(C) Courses sponsored by the American Academy
of Optometry (AAO) or an affiliate of AAO;
(D) Courses accredited by the Council on
Optometric Provider Education (COPE);
(E) Courses sponsored and or approved by the
Texas Health and Human Services Commission;
(F) Courses sponsored by the American Board
of Optometry;
(G) Courses approved
by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (AACME);
and
(H) Courses in professional
responsibility given by a board accredited in-state college or school of
optometry may be given approval if the course:
(i) is made available as a live course in
this state and on the internet; and
(ii) includes the study of professional
ethics, the Texas Optometry Act and Board Rules, judicious prescribing of
dangerous drugs, pain management, or drug abuse by professionals.
(2) Notwithstanding the
automatic approvals contemplated in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Board
shall be entitled to reject individual courses.
(c) Provider Approval. Continuing education
providers who are not preapproved under subsection (b) of this section shall
make application to the Board on the prescribed form, submit the appropriate
fee, and submit all required materials for consideration of approval. Failure
to utilize the Board's application form or submit any of the requirements shall
be grounds to reject the application request. Provider applications will be
approved by the Board upon recommendation from the Continuing Education
Committee.
(d) Renewal
requirements. Licensees who have not complied with the education requirements
may not be issued a renewal license unless such person is entitled to an
exemption under Section 351.309 of the Act. The following persons are exempt:
(1) a licensee who holds a Texas license, but
does not practice optometry in Texas; provided, however, that if at any time
during the calendar year for which such exemption has been obtained such person
desires to practice optometry, such person shall not be entitled to practice
optometry in Texas until the hours of continuing education credits set out in
subsection (a) of this section are obtained and the board has been notified of
the completion of such continuing education requirements;
(2) a licensee who served in the regular
armed forces of the United States during part of the period immediately
preceding the license renewal date;
(3) a licensee who submits proof satisfactory
to the board that the licensee suffered a serious or disabling illness or
physical disability which prevented the licensee from complying with the
requirements of this section during the period immediately preceding the annual
license renewal date; provided, however, that in lieu of claiming the
exemption, a licensee who has submitted the requisite proof of illness or
disability may elect to obtain the education requirement by correspondence or
multi-media courses sponsored, monitored, or graded by colleges of optometry;
or
(4) a licensee who was first
licensed within the period immediately preceding the first renewal date is
exempt from Board mandated continuing education for this first calendar year. A
new licensee is not exempt from continuing education required by Texas
laws.
(e) Availability.
Approved courses must be available to all Texas licensed optometrists at a fee
considered reasonable and nondiscriminatory.
(f) Proof of Attendance. Written proof of
attendance and completion of approved courses must be supplied by the licensed
optometrist to the board in conjunction with the renewal application for an
optometry license. If the licensed optometrist is practicing in Texas, the
licensee should submit the original proof of attendance or the approved
sponsors of continuing education may submit to the board written proof of
attendance and completion of approved courses on behalf of the licensed
optometrist. Information such as the following will be required: sponsoring
organizations; location and dates; course names; instructors; names of
attendee; number of education hours completed; and any other information deemed
necessary by the board. Proof of attendance supplied by the sponsor should
contain at least one signature of the sponsor's designee.
(g) Retired License Continuing Education.
(1) An applicant with a current license
applying for the Retired License shall obtain eight hours of Board approved
continuing education during the calendar year preceding the date of
application. All of the hours may be obtained on the Internet or by
correspondence. At least one half of these hours must be diagnostic/therapeutic
as approved by the Board and one hour must be professional
responsibility.
(2) An applicant
whose license has expired for one year or more shall obtain 16 hours of Board
approved continuing education during the calendar year preceding the date of
application. All of the hours may be obtained on the Internet or by
correspondence. At least eight of these hours must be diagnostic/therapeutic as
approved by the Board and one hour must be professional
responsibility.
(3) The holder of a
retired license shall obtain eight hours of Board approved continuing education
during the calendar year prior to renewing the license. All of the hours may be
obtained on the Internet or by correspondence. At least one half of these hours
must be diagnostic/therapeutic as approved by the Board and one hour must be
professional responsibility.
(4)
Beginning with the 2023 license renewal, the holder of a retired license shall
obtain 16 hours of Board approved continuing education prior to renewing the
license. All of the hours may be obtained on the Internet or by correspondence.
At least one half of these hours must be diagnostic/therapeutic as approved by
the Board and one hour must be professional responsibility.
