Star Telegram By Jenny Terrell, OD 2/28/2019
It will be a great day for patients when Doctors of Medicine (physicians) recognize Doctors of Optometry (optometrists) for what they are – experts in eye care that handle the vast majority of Texans’ eye care needs.
It will also be a great day when physicians put patients ahead of politics, and extend the hand of collegiality to optometrists to maximize their impact within the health care system, as opposed to attacking good legislation for patients, such as HB 1798.
On Thursday, an op-ed ran in this same space titled “Why can’t Texas legislature see the danger in allowing eye surgery without this?†The answer to this is simple – there is no danger to see.
Optometrists have been caring for eye disease for almost 30 years, and are held to the exact same standard of care as ophthalmologists.
Readers were subjected to much hyperbole and two broad mischaracterizations, the first being what HB 1798 actually does if it becomes law, and second the training and sophistication of Doctors of Optometry.
HB 1798 modernizes the Texas Optometry Act in several important ways to bring better, timely eye care to patients at a lower cost to patients and insurers.
More:
https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/other-voices/article226935604.html
