'Eyeball Wars' Heat Up Again In Florida Senate
Partner Bruce May was quoted in a News Service of Florida article about a bill approved by a Senate panel that would authorize optometrists to perform some laser surgeries and prescribe opioids for patients. The vote, however, came amid heavy opposition from physicians. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors with between eight and 10 post-graduate years of medical education and clinical training in surgery, whereas optometrists complete a four-year program from optometry school. In a hearing on the issue before the legislature Mr. May, who represents the Florida Society of Ophthalmology, deemed the bill "bad policy."
“Think about that for a moment. The Board of Optometry is an appointed board of seven members,” Mr. May said, noting that five members are optometrists and two are consumer members. “No member of the Board of Optometry has ever gone to medical school, no member has performed surgery. It’s difficult to believe that the Florida Legislature would put non-surgeons in charge of overseeing surgery, particularly surgery of the eye which has no margin of error, but that’s precisely what this bill would do.”