The scope of practice is the specific area in which a health care professional practices his profession. Over the last decade, the scope of optometric practice has changed greatly from the traditional role to one of a primary eye care profession. This change occurred as a result of the optometrist’s enhanced clinical training and education, including the study of medical eye care, clinical medicine as it relates to eye disease processes and pharmacology.

The American Optometric Association (AOA) defines optometrists as, “primary health care providers who diagnose, manage and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system as regulated by state law.”

According to Massachusetts law, optometrists are currently empowered to diagnose, manage and treat their patients’ eye conditions and eye diseases. This includes evaluating the eye with dilated eye exams, prescribing corrective lenses, removing foreign objects from the eye and writing prescriptions for therapeutic pharmaceutical agents (TPAs).

Massachusetts optometrists are now recognized as primary eye care providers by health care consumers, primary care physicians and benefit plan administrators. They serve as integral health care providers in numerous HMO, PPO, and other managed care plans, serving effectively as both vision and medical eye care practitioners.

Full Scope of Practice in MA
As primary eye care providers, optometrists offer a range of services beyond the routine eye examination. Some of these services include:

1. Medical management and treatment of eye and lid disease and eye injuries;
2. Assessment and management of the adverse ocular effects of medications as well as the ocular complications of systemic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension;
3. Pre- and post-operative care of cataract and refractive surgery patients;
4. The ordering of appropriate cultures, laboratory tests, x-rays, CT scans, etc;
5. Optometric rehabilitation for patients impaired secondary to acquired brain injury or stroke;
6. Contact lens therapy for patients with corneal disease;
7. Low vision services for the partially sighted;
8. Vision therapy for eye muscle dysfunctions such as amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (eye turn);
9. Contact lens fittings;
10. Removal of superficial foreign bodies.