Kentucky Optometrics Donate Heavily To Kentucky Politicians, Bill To Expand Their Services Flies Through General ASSembly To Governor.

Bill to expand optometrists' practice heads to Beshear
By Tom Loftus

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The House voted 81-14 Friday morning to approve a controversial bill to expand the practice of optometry.

Senate Bill 110 thus became the first measure this session to win approval from both houses of the General Assembly and be sent to Gov. Steve Beshear.

SB 110 would allow optometrists to perform certain procedures now reserved for ophthalmologists, including one that uses lasers to correct problems that sometimes occur after cataract surgery.

Filed on Feb. 7, the bill has made an extraordinarily quick trip through the General Assembly. It has been strongly opposed by the ophthalmologists, who contend optometrists are not qualified to perform some of the procedures the bill would allow.

The Courier-Journal reported earlier this week that optometrists and their political action committee have made more than $400,000 in campaign contributions to members of the General Assembly and to Beshear in the past two years.