SB3607 Summary

• Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 to establish educational requirements for optometrists performing advanced optometric procedures, which must include sufficient didactic and clinical training to develop technical skills, knowledge of proper diagnosis, and judgment on procedure use.

• Defines "surgery" as procedures involving cutting, ablating, vaporizing, or permanently altering eye tissue through various means including lasers and cryotherapy, but excludes diagnostic scanning lasers used only to create images.

• Specifies that "advanced optometric procedures" include removal of foreign bodies from the eye surface or cornea, lacrimal duct procedures, eyelash removal, corneal epithelium removal, amniotic membrane application, and other non-surgical procedures approved by the Department, but exclude procedures requiring general anesthesia, globe penetration, laser use, or live epithelial tissue removal.

• Prohibits optometrists from performing advanced optometric procedures on patients under 18 years of age.

• Establishes that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall adopt rules defining educational requirements for advanced optometric procedures.