Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
(1) To qualify for certification to use or
prescribe drugs administered orally for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, a
licensed optometrist must provide documentation that he or she:
(a) Is certified to use or prescribe topical
drugs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes under WAC
246-851-400 and has successfully
completed a minimum of sixteen hours of didactic and eight hours of supervised
clinical instruction from an institution of higher learning, accredited by
those agencies recognized by the United States Office of Education or the
Council on Postsecondary Accreditation; or
(b) Holds a current active optometry license
in another state that has licensing standards substantially equivalent to those
in Washington state. The licensee's level of licensure must also be
substantially equivalent to the licensing standards in Washington
state.
(2) The didactic
instruction must include a minimum of sixteen hours in the following subject
area:
(a) Basic principles of systemic drug
therapy;
(b) Side effects, adverse
reactions and drug interactions in systemic therapy;
(c) Review of oral pharmaceuticals:
(i) Prescription writing;
(ii) Legal regulations in oral prescription
writing;
(iii) Systemic
antibacterials in primary eye care;
(iv) Systemic antivirals in eye
care;
(v) Systemic antifungal in
eye care;
(vi) Systemic
antihistamines and decongestants and their uses in eye care;
(vii) Oral dry eye agents;
(viii) Anti-emetics and their use in eye
care;
(ix) Systemic diuretics and
their management of elevated IOP;
(x) Systemic epinephrine;
(d) Review of systemic medication
in ocular pain management:
(i) Legal
regulations with scheduled medication;
(ii) Systemic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDS);
(iii) Systemic
noncontrolled analgesics;
(iv)
Systemic controlled substances;
(e) Review of oral medications used for
sedation and anti-anxiety properties in eye care:
(i) Controlled anti-anxiety/sedative
substances;
(ii) Legal
ramifications of prescribing anti-anxiety drugs;
(f) Review of systemic medications used
during pregnancy and in pediatric eye care:
(i) Legal ramifications in prescribing to
this population;
(ii) Dosage
equivalent with pregnancy and pediatrics;
(iii) Medications to avoid with pregnancy and
pediatrics;
(g) Applied
systemic pharmacology:
(i) Eyelid and adnexal
tissue;
(ii) Lacrimal system and
peri-orbital sinuses;
(iii)
Conjunctival and corneal disorders;
(iv) Iris and anterior chamber
disorders;
(v) Posterior segment
disorders;
(vi) Optic nerve
disease;
(vii) Peripheral vascular
disease and its relationship with ocular disease;
(viii) Atherosclerotic disease;
(ix) Other/course review.
(3) The supervised
clinical instruction must include at least eight hours in the following subject
areas:
(a) Vital signs;
(b) Auscultation;
(c) Ear, nose and throat;
(d) Screening neurological exam.
(4) Written examination to cover
required curriculum.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.54.070(2) and
18.53.010. 10-21-067, §
246-851-570, filed 10/15/10, effective 11/15/10. Statutory Authority: 2003 c
142 and RCW 18.54.072(2). 04-05-004, § 246-851-570, filed 2/5/04,
effective 3/7/04.
