Wisconsin Administrative Code
Optometry Examining Board
Chapter Opt 8 - Continuing Education
Section Opt 8.02 - Continuing education requirements

(1) A licensee shall complete 30 hours of approved continuing education in each biennial registration period. A minimum of 20 of the 30 hours shall relate to ocular health, conditions, or disease management.

Note: Opt 8.02 (title) and (1) are shown as amended eff. 12-15-19 by CR 18-021. Prior to 12-15-19 they read:

Opt 8.02 Continuing education.

(1) A licensee shall complete 30 hours of approved continuing education in each biennial registration period. A minimum of 7 of the 30 hours shall be approved glaucoma education.

(1m) During the biennial registration period commencing December 15, 2019 and ending December 14, 2021, unless granted a hardship waiver in accordance with sub. (3m), the 30 required hours of continuing education shall include 2 hours on the topic of responsible prescribing of controlled substances.

Note: Sub. (1m) is created eff. 12-15-19 by CR 18-021.

(2) A minimum of 20 of the 30 hours of approved continuing education hours, as specified in sub. (1), required for optometrists who are allowed to use diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents shall relate to ocular health, conditions, or disease management, or the removal of superficial foreign bodies from an eye or from an appendage to the eye.

Note: Sub. (2) is shown as amended eff. 12-15-19 by CR 18-021. Prior to 12-15-19 it reads:

(2) Except as provided in sub. (4), approved continuing education hours required for optometrists who are allowed to use diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents shall relate to the diagnosis and management of eye disease or the removal of superficial foreign bodies from an eye or from an appendage to the eye.

(3) A minimum of 20 of the 30 hours of approved continuing education hours, as specified in sub. (1), required for optometrists who are not allowed to use diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents shall relate to ocular health, conditions, or disease management.

Note: Sub. (3) is shown as amended eff. 12-15-19 by CR 18-021. Prior to 12-15-19 it reads:

(3) Except as provided in sub. (4), approved continuing education hours required for optometrists who are not allowed to use diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents shall relate to the diagnosis and management of eye disease.

(3e) At least 20 of the 30 hours of approved continuing education required under sub. (1) shall be completed by attending programs in person. Any programs not completed in person shall be COPE or Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education approved programs, in accordance with s. Opt 8.03(1) (a), or programs approved under s. Opt 8.03(2).

Note: Sub. (3e) is created eff. 12-15-19 by CR 18-021.

(3m) In cases of hardship, a licensee may apply to the board for any of the following:

(3s) An optometrist who by the renewal date has been licensed for one year or less from the date issued shall not be required to report continuing education for the first renewal of the license. An optometrist who by the renewal date holds a license for more than one year and less than 2 years shall be required to report 15 hours of approved continuing education for the first renewal of the license.

Note: Sub. (3s) is created eff. 12-15-19 by CR 18-021.

(4) No more than a combined total of 6 hours of continuing education per biennium may be claimed for course work that relates to one or more of the following subject matter:

(5) Except for purposes of obtaining continuing education in order to satisfy the requirements for late renewal under s. Opt 7.05, continuing education hours may be applied only to the biennial registration period in which the continuing education hours are acquired.

(6) To obtain credit for completion of continuing education hours, an optometrist shall, at the time of each renewal of registration, sign a statement certifying that the course work has been completed. If audited, an optometrist shall submit certificates of attendance issued by each course provider or other evidence of attendance satisfactory to the board.

(7) An optometrist who fails to meet the continuing education requirements by the renewal date may not engage in the practice of optometry until his or her registration is renewed under s. Opt 7.05.

(8) Optometrists initially licensed within a biennium shall complete one hour of board approved continuing education per month or partial month of licensure reported on or before December 15 of the second year of the biennium. A minimum of one-quarter of the continuing education hours shall be in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma.

Note: Sub. (8) is repealed eff. 12-15-19 by CR 18-021.

(9) Except as provided in sub. (10), no more than a combined total of 6 hours of continuing education per biennium may be claimed for course work obtained through alternative delivery methods such as home-study courses, self-study packages, computer courses, televideo conferencing, or other delivery methods approved by the board under s. Opt 8.03(4).

Note: Sub. (9) is repealed eff. 12-15-19 by CR 18-021.

(10) The board may permit a certificate holder to claim more than 6 hours of continuing education per biennium for course work obtained through alternative delivery methods such as home-study courses, self-study packages, computer courses, televideo conferencing, or other delivery methods approved by the board, if the credential holder submits evidence satisfactory to the board of hardship.