Editor’s note: The South Dakota Academy of Ophthalmology sent out the following release today in opposition to House Bill 1099:
WTAS: State and National Medical Leaders Speak Out Against HB 1099
HB 1099 would compromise safety for eye surgery in South Dakota.
HB 1099 would cause substantial risk to patients during eye surgery and reduce the training required to provide surgical eye care by allowing optometrists to perform delicate surgery on and around the eye. Medical groups across the state and country advocate against the legislation:
Dr. Mike Eide, a Sioux Falls ophthalmologist and president of the South Dakota Academy of Ophthalmology: “HB 1099 carries risks for eye surgery patients across South Dakota. One slip of a laser or scalpel during a surgery can result in permanent loss of vision or even blindness. We cannot compromise eye safety in South Dakota.”
Denise Hanisch, MD, President of the South Dakota State Medical Association: “Among surgeons, eye surgery ranks as one of the most risky, invasive surgeries for a patient. We cannot forget the patient as we debate who should be able to perform these surgeries. Our first priority must be to patients and their protection. This bill makes compromises regarding surgical safety. The SDSMA strongly urges legislators to vote against HB 1099.”
Dr. Sarah Short Sarbacker, President of the South Dakota Dermatology Society and Karry La Violette, Senior Vice President of the American Academy of Dermatology Association: “We oppose this inappropriate scope of practice expansion for optometrists as we believe it disregards adequate and appropriate medical training and jeopardizes patient safety. Such acts or procedures include, for example, skin excisions, the use of all lasers, light sources, the injection or insertion of foreign or natural substances, or soft tissue augmentation. We maintain a steadfast position that these procedures should be performed only by a licensed physician or under the direct, onsite supervision of a physician.”
Dr. Elizabeth Yeu, President of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery: “HB 1099 compromises the safety and surgical eye care of patients by lowering the current standards of education and clinical training required to perform eye surgery. These lower standards would only apply to optometrists, a profession with negligible experience in the fundamentals of surgical care. While optometrists are valued members of the eye care team and play an important role in their communities, they are not medical doctors or trained surgeons. When it comes to the procedures outlined in the bill, their training consists of a mere 32 hours of coursework that can be completed over a long weekend.”
Dr. Ben Mackey, President of the Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons: “In the interests of patient safety, we do not want to see the state of South Dakota make the same mistakes as the Commonwealth of Kentucky—mistakes which have led to increased costs for patients, threats to their vision, and no meaningful increase in “rural access” to surgical eye care. We ask that you give our comments full consideration, and that you vote “no” on HB 1099.
Dr. Ben Harvey, President of the Oklahoma Academy of Ophthalmology: “In Oklahoma, scope of practice expansion for optometry to include surgery has not resulted in increased access, but it has increased patient risk with higher cost of care due to lowering of the educational and training standards. For the sake of maintaining patient safety and the quality of surgical eye care, while controlling costs, I urge you and your colleagues to protect the citizens of South Dakota by rejecting HB 1099.”