Ch. 521

1995 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(1)      ADMINISTER AND PRESCRIBE TOPICAL AND ORAL

PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS RATIONAL TO THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF
CONDITIONS AND DISEASES OF THE HUMAN EYE AND ADNEXA;

(2) REMOVE SUPERFICIAL FOREIGN BODIES FROM THE HUMAN EYE
AND ADNEXA;

(3)      PERFORM PROCEDURES RATIONAL TO THE TREATMENT OF
CONDITIONS AND DISEASES OF THE HUMAN EYE AND ADNEXA AS DETERMINED BY
THE BOARD;

(4) PERFORM OR ORDER PROCEDURES AND LABORATORY TESTS
RATIONAL TO THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF CONDITIONS AND DISEASES OF
THE HUMAN EYE AND ADNEXA; AND

(5) DISPENSE A THERAPEUTIC PHARMACEUTICAL AGENT TO A PATIENT
IF:

(I) NO CHARGE IS IMPOSED FOR THE THERAPEUTIC

PHARMACEUTICAL AGENT OR FOR DISPENSING THE AGENT; AND

(II) THE AMOUNT DISPENSED DOES NOT EXCEED A 72-HOUR
SUPPLY, EXCEPT THAT IF THE MINIMUM AVAILABLE QUANTITY FOR DISPENSING IS
GREATER THAN A 72-HOUR SUPPLY, THE MINIMUM AVAILABLE QUANTITY MAY BE
DISPENSED.

(E) UNLESS OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS TITLE, AN OPTOMETRIST
PRACTICING IN THE STATE MAY NOT;

(1)      USE SURGICAL OPHTHALMIC LASERS;

(2) PERFORM CATARACT SURGERY OR ANY OTHER SURGERY;

(3) PERFORM RADIAL KERATOTOMY; OR

(4) DISPENSE A THERAPEUTIC PHARMACEUTICAL AGENT TO ANY
PERSON.

(F) A THERAPEUTICALLY CERTIFIED OPTOMETRIST SHALL BE HELD TO THE
SAME STANDARD OF CARE APPLIED TO A PHYSICIAN LICENSED UNDER TITLE 14 OF
THIS ARTICLE PROVIDING SIMILAR SERVICES.

11-404.2.

(A) IN THIS SECTION, "REFER" MEANS THAT A THERAPEUTICALLY CERTIFIED
OPTOMETRIST:

(1) INFORMS THE PATIENT THAT THE PATIENT SHOULD SEE AN
OPHTHALMOLOGIST AND GIVE THE OPHTHALMOLOGIST AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PHYSICALLY EXAMINE THE PATIENT; AND

(2)      REFRAINS FROM RENDERING FURTHER TREATMENT FOR THE
SPECIFIC CONDITION THAT IS THE BASIS FOR THE REFERRAL UNTIL THE PATIENT
HAS BEEN PHYSICALLY EXAMINED BY AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST.

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