Oregon Board of Optometry

P. O. Box 13967 Salem OR 97309 Phone: (503)399-0662 Fax: (503)399-0705 email: board@oregonobo.org

The Mission of the Oregon Board of Optometry is to Protect the People of the State of Oregon from the Dangers of Unqualified and Improper Practice of Optometry.

The Oregon Board of Optometry is a state agency responsible for the licensure of doctors of optometry optometrists/optometric physicians) and enforcement of the statutes and administrative rules governing the practice of optometry in Oregon. Listed below is information concerning the Board and its activities that may be of interest to you.

NOTICE

New Oregon Legislation ~ In the recent special session, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 3663 which allows patients aged 15 years and older to be treated by an optometric phycian without the consent of a legal parent or guardian. This law becomes effective on January 1, 2011. In the case of prescribing contact lenses for the first time, consent is still required.

Electronic Prescription Monitoring Program (EPMP) ~ There will be a new $25 fee included in your license renewal application for the EPMP (Electronic Prescription Monitoring Program) in the Oregon Department of Human Resources. The 2009 Legislature passed SB 355 which requires that DHS establish and maintain a prescription monitoring program for monitoring and reporting prescription drugs dispensed by pharmacies in Oregon that are classified in Scheduled II through IV under the Federal Controlled Substances Act. The EPMP will operate and be accessible by practitioners and pharmacies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Pharmacies are required to electronically report to the EPMP information on each prescription prescribed by a practitioner. As a licensed optometric physician you will have access to the system for your use in providing eye care to your patients. The Oregon Board of Optometry has no responsibility for this prescription monitoring system. We are required by the provisions of SB 355 to collect a $25 fee on all license renewals and send the money to the EPMP for their use in setting up and maintaining this system. This will be an annual renewal fee that will be collected with each year’s license renewal beginning January 2010. Please contact the Board’s office if you would like further information on this matter.

LATISSE ~ Latisse was approved by the Oregon Board of Optometry, at its meeting on March 13, 2009, as being a pharmaceutical agent on the topical formulary for Oregon optometric physicians.  The use of Latisse for hypotrichosis was approved as being within the scope of practice for optometric physicians in Oregon. Latisse can be prescribed by optometric physicians and can be sold to their patients providing all of the labeling and dispensing requirements have been met. Prescription drugs cannot be dispensed by an optometric physician to anyone other than a patient with whom he or she has a bonafide physician/patient relationship.

BOARD MEMBERS SOUGHT Members of the Oregon Board of Optometry are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The term of office of each member is three years. A member is eligible for reappointment. Candidates for member positions are currently being sought. If you have an interest in serving on the Oregon Board of Optometry please complete the Executive Appointment Interest Form or contact the Board's office. In selecting the members of the Board, the Governor shall strive to balance representation on the Board according to geographic areas of this state and by ethnic group.

Board of Optometry Information:
About the Board	Examination and Licensure Requirements
Questions About Optometry	Proposed Administrative Rule Changes
Alphabetical Listing of Oregon Optometric Physicians    May be used for verification of licensure.	Revised Statutes and Administrative Rules    The Law and Administrative Rules Exam is available online through the NBEO.
Information Requests	Applications and Forms in PDF Format
Board Meetings	Continuing Education Reviewed by the Board
Minutes of Public Meetings	Continuing Education Requirements
Board Financial Information	Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse
News and Newsletters From the Board	Liability Statement
Consumer Complaints	Telecommuting Policy and Procedure
Directions to the Oregon Board of Optometry
Oregon Optometry Medical Malpractice Claim Form    This form is to be used only by claim "reporters" as defined by ORS 742.400.    No reports are currently filed with the Oregon Board of Optometry.

Related Optometry Links:

A physician must maintain current CPR status in order to retain AT and ATI certification. A copy of the renewed CPR card should be forwarded to the office of the Board annually along with the other license renewal documents. The following course has been reviewed by the Board and may be used for CPR certification to retain AT or ATI status. There may be other courses which meet the Board's requirement, which is the BLS Healthcare Provider standard, that have not been reviewed. Please submit any other courses to the Board for review prior to completion to avoid having to retake a CPR course. Contact the office of the Board if you have any questions.

American Heart Association BLS Healthcare Provider Online CPR Renewal Course This course requires a "hands-on" skills assessment prior to receiving a CPR card, in keeping with Oregon Administrative Rule for optometric CPR certification.

AOA (American Optometric Association) Home Page

ARBO (Association of Boards of Optometry) Home Page

You may report incidents of complications due to dispensing of contact lenses without a prescription at this ARBO site: Contact Lens Complications Reporting Form

COPE (Council on Optometric Practitioner Education) Home Page

NBEO (National Board of Examiners in Optometry) Home Page    The Law and Administrative Rules Exam is available online through the NBEO.

NPDB-HIPDB (National Practitioner Data Bank and Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank)

Physicians can perform a "self query" at this site.

OOPA (Oregon Optometric Physicians Association

If you have an interest in membership in the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association, which represents the professional interests of optometry in Oregon, you can obtain information by calling their office at (800)922-2045 or by visiting their website.

Links to On-Line Ethics Courses Approved by the Board

PUCO (Pacific University College of Optometry - Online Continuing Education)

AudioDigest.com - Query "Ethics in Medicine" courses. The approved sub-titles are "Ophthalmology" and "Neuro-Ophthalmology"

Links to Related Organizations:

BME (Oregon Board of Medical Examiners)

DEA (United States Drug Enforcement Administration/Practitioner Registration)

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION - "The Contact Lens Rule: A Guide for Prescribers and Sellers."

U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION - Mandatory Reporting Form

Report violations of dispensing products which require a prescription - such as contact lenses - at this site.)

Oregon DMV's Medically At-Risk Driver Program

Oregon Requirements For Tinting of Windshields

ORS 815.221 and 815.222 explaining the statutory requirements for prescribing the tinting of automotive windshields.