Public Act 097-0170
 
HB1494 EnrolledLRB097 05137 CEL 45182 b

    AN ACT concerning professional regulation.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 is
amended by changing Section 15.1 as follows:
 
    (225 ILCS 80/15.1)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2017)
    Sec. 15.1. Diagnostic and therapeutic authority.
    (a) For purposes of the Act, "ocular pharmaceutical agents"
means topical anesthetics, topical mydriatics, topical
cycloplegics, topical miotics and mydriatic reversing agents,
anti-infective agents, anti-allergy agents, anti-glaucoma
agents (except oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, which may be
prescribed only in a quantity sufficient to provide treatment
for up to 72 hours), anti-inflammatory agents (except oral
steroids), over-the-counter agents, and analgesic agents,
anti-dry eye agents, and agents for the treatment of
hypotrichosis.
    (a-3) In addition to ocular pharmaceutical agents that fall
within the categories set forth in subsection (a) of this
Section, the Board may add a pharmaceutical agent approved by
the FDA or class of agents for the purpose of the diagnosis or
treatment of conditions of the eye and adnexa after
consideration of the agent's systemic effects, side effects,
and the use of the agent within the practice of optometry. The
Board shall consider requests for additional agents and make
recommendations within 90 days after the receipt of the
request.
    Within 45 days after the Board's recommendation to the
Department of a pharmaceutical agent or class of agents, the
Department shall promulgate rules necessary to allow for the
prescribing or administering of the pharmaceutical agent or
class of agents under this Act.
    (a-5) Ocular pharmaceutical agents administered by
injection may be used only for the treatment of anaphylaxis.
    (a-10) Oral pharmaceutical agents may be prescribed for a
child under 5 years of age only in consultation with a
physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches.
    (a-15) The authority to prescribe a Schedule III, IV, or V
controlled substance shall include only analgesic agents in a
quantity sufficient to provide treatment for up to 72 hours.
The prescription of a Schedule II controlled substance is
prohibited.
    (b) A licensed optometrist may remove superficial foreign
bodies from the human eye and adnexa and may give orders for
patient care to a nurse licensed to practice under Illinois
law.
    (c) An optometrist's license shall be revoked or suspended
by the Department upon recommendation of the Board based upon
either of the following causes:
        (1) grave or repeated misuse of any ocular
    pharmaceutical agent; and
        (2) the use of any agent or procedure in the course of
    optometric practice by an optometrist not properly
    authorized under this Act.
    (d) The Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation
shall notify the Director of Public Health as to the categories
of ocular pharmaceutical agents permitted for use by an
optometrist. The Director of Public Health shall in turn notify
every licensed pharmacist in the State of the categories of
ocular pharmaceutical agents that can be utilized and
prescribed by an optometrist.
(Source: P.A. 94-787, eff. 5-19-06; 95-242, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.