DC Optometry Jurisprudence flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

DC Optometry Practice Act citation

The statute governing optometry in the District is D.C. Code Title 3, Chapter 12; Board rules implementing it appear in Title 17 of the D.C. Municipal Regulations.

Board of Optometry composition

The DC Board of Optometry includes licensed optometrist members and at least one consumer member, and it operates within the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.

Unlicensed practice prohibition

A person may not practice optometry or use the title optometrist without a DC license; helping an unlicensed person practice is also a statutory violation.

Statutory definition of optometry

Optometry means examining eyes for defects and abnormal conditions and prescribing or adapting lenses and optical aids, plus related acts the statute and Board rules authorize.

Force of Board regulations

Rules adopted by the Board under Title 17 DCMR have the force of law and are enforced through the same complaint and disciplinary process as the Practice Act.

Purpose of the Practice Act

The Act exists to protect public health and safety, so violations are assessed by the risk of harm to patients rather than by the licensee's intent.

Notice and hearing requirement

Before adverse action becomes final, the licensee must receive notice of the charges and an opportunity for an administrative hearing under DC procedure.

Board versus DLCP roles

DLCP investigates complaints and prosecutes contested cases, while the Board hears evidence, finds facts, and recommends sanctions to the agency head.

ACOE accreditation requirement

Applicants must document graduation from an optometry program accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education or an equivalent the Board approves.

NBEO examination requirement

Initial licensure requires passing the National Board of Examiners in Optometry examinations, including the Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease part for therapeutic authority.

DC jurisprudence examination

Applicants must pass a DC jurisprudence examination covering the Practice Act and Board regulations; the score is reported to the Board for the licensure file.

Renewal cycle requirements

Renewal requires a timely application, the renewal fee, and attestation that continuing education requirements for the cycle have been completed.

Continuing education mandate

Each renewal cycle requires a Board-specified number of CE hours, including mandated topics such as pharmacology or ocular disease; carryover of excess hours is limited.

Lapsed license restoration

A license lapsed within the grace period may be restored on payment of late fees; practicing on an expired license is unlicensed practice and grounds for discipline.

Nontransferable license rule

A DC optometry license belongs only to the named licensee, cannot be transferred or shared, and must be surrendered or returned when the Board orders.

Change of address reporting

A licensee must notify the Board of a change of name or address within the time stated in the regulations so official notices reach the licensee.

Licensure by credentials

The Board may license applicants from jurisdictions with substantially equivalent requirements at its discretion, and may require additional examination or documentation.

Therapeutic authority in DC

DC optometrists may diagnose and treat conditions of the visual system and prescribe topical and oral medications within limits set by statute and Board rule.

Prescriptive authority limits

Prescribing is limited to drugs appropriate to optometric practice, such as topical ophthalmic agents, oral anti-infectives and anti-inflammatories, and glaucoma medications.

Surgical exclusion

Optometrists may not perform surgery, laser procedures, or intraocular injections in DC; patients needing these services must be referred to an ophthalmologist.

Foreign body removal scope

Optometrists may remove superficial foreign bodies from the cornea and conjunctiva; embedded or intraocular foreign bodies exceed scope and require referral.

Prescription documentation

Each prescription must rest on a documented evaluation recording the diagnosis, drug, dose, quantity, and directions; prescribing without evaluation is a violation.

PDMP compliance

When prescribing controlled substances, optometrists must follow DC and federal prescription drug monitoring program requirements, including required database queries.

Referral and co-management duty

A condition beyond optometric scope must be referred or co-managed with an ophthalmologist; failing to refer a patient needing specialized care is a violation.

Delegation to assistants

Unlicensed assistants may perform only tasks authorized by Board regulation under optometrist supervision, and the licensee remains responsible for those acts.

Grounds for discipline

Discipline may rest on licensure fraud, unprofessional conduct, gross negligence, incompetence, practicing beyond scope, or violating the Act or Board rules.

Unprofessional conduct examples

Unprofessional conduct includes misleading advertising, fee splitting, patient abandonment, practicing while impaired, and failing to maintain adequate patient records.

Range of sanctions

Sanctions include reprimand, censure, probation with conditions, suspension, revocation, civil fines, and required remedial education or supervised practice.

Complaint investigation process

DLCP investigates complaints; on a finding of probable cause the licensee receives notice of charges and may contest them at an administrative hearing.

Duty to cooperate

Licensees must cooperate with Board investigations and may not alter or destroy records relevant to a pending complaint; failure to cooperate is an independent violation.

Patient confidentiality limits

Patient information may not be disclosed without authorization except as law requires, such as mandatory reporting of specified public-health conditions.

Mandatory reporting duty

Licensees must report misconduct and impaired practice that endangers patients, and retaliating against a person who files a complaint is itself a disciplinary offense.