Glaucoma Certification Helps California ODs expand their scope of care

On December 9, 2010, the Office of Administrative Law approved California Code of Regulation (CCR) Section 1571, Requirements for Glaucoma Certification. In surmmary, by Jan 8, 2011 the Board of Optometry will have new avenues to certify optometrists across the state of California for glaucoma care.  

Ever since AB 949 was approved in 1997 or so, glaucoma care has been constrained by an complex set of requirements and processes that led only 250 of the state’s optometrists to being certified, less than 10% of the state’s number of optometrists.  The new SB 1406 law that is the basis of the new regulations will vastly streamline this process and thus will expand the number of optometrists who can become certified to manage glaucoma.

There is a strong foundation for optometry and ophthalmology collaboration in the California and it is unlikely that this will change dramatically with the new regulations.