HB402 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Danny GarrettRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Optometrists, practice of optometry defined, Board of Optometry to regulate, Secs. 20-2-2, 34-22-1 am'd.

Summary

HB402 would expand the scope of optometry in Alabama and make the Alabama Board of Optometry the exclusive regulator, while clarifying the board’s status as a certifying board under the Controlled Substances Act.

What This Bill Does

It broadens what optometrists can diagnose, treat, and manage, including prescribing a wider range of drugs and performing additional procedures under board oversight. It authorizes specific eye-related procedures and certain drug administrations (e.g., steroids, epinephrine, and other medications to treat eye conditions or counteract reactions), while keeping injections into the eyeball prohibited and limiting more invasive surgeries. It also reinforces that the Board of Optometry is the sole authority on defining the practice and clarifies its role as a certifying board under the Alabama Uniform Controlled Substances Act, with advisory opinions and rulings as needed, plus restricted narcotics prescribing under the act.

Who It Affects

• Optometrists in Alabama, who would gain expanded authority to diagnose, treat, prescribe, and perform procedures related to eye care under board rules.
• Patients in Alabama, who could receive more optometry-based eye care services (under expanded scope and regulated prescribing) with oversight from the Alabama Board of Optometry.

Key Provisions

• Redefines the scope of the practice of optometry to include diagnosis, treatment, prevention of eye conditions, and certain lens and device fittings, plus prescription of pharmaceutical agents related to eye care.
• Allows optometrists to prescribe and administer steroids; permits administration of epinephrine or diphenhydramine to counteract anaphylaxis; prescribes drugs for eye care within board-approved limits; includes narcotics/controlled substances under state laws with specific restrictions (no Schedule I/II narcotics or hydrocodone-containing Schedule III drugs; other Schedule III drugs limited to 96-hour prescriptions).
• Permits specified procedures such as chalazion removal, lid lesion removal/biopsy, laser capsulotomy, laser trabeculoplasty, laser peripheral iridotomy, and corneal crosslinking; allows certain injections (not injections into the posterior chamber of the eye) for eye care.
• Prohibits certain invasive ophthalmic surgeries (e.g., injections into the eyeball, cataract or retinal surgeries, muscle surgery, refractive laser surgery, cryosurgery, and other deep intraocular procedures).
• Designates the Alabama Board of Optometry as a certifying board under the Alabama Uniform Controlled Substances Act, with definitions and powers appropriate to this role and subject to chapter limitations.
• Gives the board authority to issue advisory opinions and declaratory rulings related to optometry and its regulations.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Optometry, Alabama Board of