SB 1362 Summary

• Expands oral prescription pharmaceuticals optometrists may prescribe to include agents for treating angle-closure glaucoma (carbonic anhydrase inhibitors) and steroids limited to single-course-of-therapy amounts.

• Adds fluoroquinolones and antivirals to the list of anti-infectives optometrists may prescribe for eye diseases and eliminates previous strikethrough restrictions on antibiotic and antiviral prescribing.

• Establishes age restriction prohibiting prescription of any oral pharmaceuticals under subsection B to persons under six years of age.

• Allows optometrists to prescribe Schedule III controlled substances only if they are analgesics, or any controlled substance reclassified from Schedule III to Schedule II after January 1, 2014.

• Removes prohibition on prescribing oral steroids and oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors from the list of substances optometrists cannot prescribe, making these new permissible treatments.