NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
REGULATION 95/05

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Drug Regulations
under the
Optometry Act, 2004

(Filed October 5, 2005)

Under the authority of section 47 of the Optometry Act, 2004 the Newfoundland and Labrador Optometric Board, with the approval of the Minister of Health and Community Services, makes the following regulations.

Dated at St. John's, September 9, 2005.

Ian Henderson
Newfoundland and Labrador Optometric Board

John Ottenheimer
Minister of Health and Community Services

REGULATIONS

Analysis

        1.   Short title

        2.   Diagnostic drug licence

        3.   Therapeutic drug certificate

        4.   Foreign bodies

        5.   Suspension or revocation

        6.   Disciplinary action

Short title

        1. These regulations may be cited as the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Drug Regulations.

Diagnostic drug licence

        2. (1) The board may issue to an optometrist a diagnostic drug certificate.

             (2)  An optometrist who holds a diagnostic drug certificate may administer and prescribe

             (a)  topical ophthalmic anaesthetics for the purpose of measuring a patient's intra-ocular pressure; and

             (b)  topical ophthalmic cycloplegics and mydriatics for the purpose of dilation and to facilitate examination of the eye.

Therapeutic drug certificate

        3. (1) The board may issue a therapeutic drug certificate to an optometrist who

             (a)  graduated on or after January 1, 1995 from an educational body approved by the board, and has successfully completed the pharmaceutical section of the Canadian Standard Assessment Examinations administered by the Canadian Examiners in Optometry; and

             (b)  graduated prior to January 1, 1995 from an educational body approved by the board, and

                      (i)  has successfully completed a post-graduate course approved by the board in the administration and prescription of therapeutic medications, and

                     (ii)  has passed an examination administered or approved by the board respecting the use of therapeutic medications.

             (2)  Notwithstanding subsection (1), where an optometrist completed the requirements of paragraph (1)(a) or (b) before January 1, 2000, the optometrist shall complete a refresher course approved by the board in the administration of therapeutic medicines as a condition of receiving a certificate.

             (3)  An optometrist who holds a therapeutic drug certificate may administer and prescribe the following pharmaceutical agents for the diagnosis and treatment of ocular anterior segment disorders:

             (a)  mydriatics;

             (b)  cycloplegics;

             (c)  topical local ophthalmic anaesthetics;

             (d)  topical ophthalmic non-steroidal anti-allergy medications;

             (e)  topical ophthalmic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications; and

              (f)  topical ophthalmic anti-infective medications.

Foreign bodies

        4. An optometrist who meets the qualifications in section 3 for a therapeutic drug certificate may remove superficial foreign bodies from the human eye and surrounding tissue.

Suspension or revocation

        5. The board may suspend or revoke a diagnostic or therapeutic drug certificate where the member fails to maintain standards which may be set by the board.

Disciplinary action

        6. (1) Where an optometrist prescribes or administers pharmaceutical agents without the appropriate certificate or prescribes or administers pharmaceutical agents not authorized by the certificate he or she holds, that action shall be considered conduct deserving of sanction for the purposes of Part IV of the Optometry Act, 2004.

             (2)  Where an optometrist removes superficial foreign bodies from a human eye or surrounding tissue in violation of section 4, that action shall be considered conduct deserving of sanction for the purposes of Part IV of the Optometry Act, 2004.

©Earl G. Tucker, Queen's Printer