NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology announced that it is running radio advertisements in response to Senate Bill 220 and House Bill 555. These bills would allow optometrists – who are not medical doctors – to inject anesthesia with a needle into the delicate tissues surrounding the eye for the purpose of performing surgeries on the eyelid to remove lesions, cysts and tumors.
The 30-second advertisements are running on radio stations throughout the state and are designed to educate Tennesseans about this dangerous legislation that, if passed, would pose a risk to patient safety and would lower the quality of surgical eye care that Tennesseans currently receive.
The Tennessee legislation comes on the heels of a proposal in the California legislature that would give allied health professionals, including optometrists, a greatly expanded scope of practice. If passed, the new law would allow optometrists to perform a multitude of surgical eye procedures. California legislators have cited the federal Affordable Care Act as justification for loosening the state’s quality of health care delivery.
“We are not California, and watering down surgical safety standards is not in the best interests of the people of Tennessee,” said Ben Mahan, president of the Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology. “Tennessee is fortunate to have more than enough medical eye physicians and surgeons to meet the eye care needs of patients in our state. But Senate Bill 220 and House Bill 555 opens the door for optometrists – nonmedical doctors – to perform delicate surgery on the eyelid and surrounding tissues. This requires a level of medical and clinical training that is simply not attainable as a practicing optometrist.
“Tennesseans need to be aware that there is no such thing as a ‘simple’ surgical procedure and that, any time a needle is placed near the eye, there is great risk involved,” Mahan said. “Medical doctors and surgeons possess years of clinical training and have the required experience and qualifications to assess those risks and act accordingly, while optometrists do not.”
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors and surgeons who spend eight years or more honing their surgical and medical skills. Their training includes four years of medical school, a one-year hospital internship and three years of surgical residency – completing around 17,000 hours of clinical training. By comparison, optometrists have completed four years of postgraduate studies that focus on primary eye care services such as eye exams and contact lens fittings. They complete approximately 2,000 patient-contact hours during four years of optometry school.
Tennesseans who are concerned about allowing nonmedical doctors to use injectable anesthesia and perform complex surgeries around the eye are encouraged to visit www.safesurgerytn.org and to urge their legislators to vote against Senate Bill 220 and House Bill 555.
About the Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology
The Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology (TNAO) is the only association for ophthalmologists in Tennessee, and its members represent all areas of eye health care and surgery. The TNAO’s mission is to advocate for the best possible eye health care for Tennesseans, serve the professional needs of ophthalmologists through legislative advocacy and member services, and assure the public’s direct access to medical doctors trained in ophthalmology.