§ 59-584. Qualifications of applicants - Examination - Registration - Certificates to practice to persons from other states.

Every person desiring to commence the practice of optometry after the passage of this act except as hereinafter provided, upon presentation of satisfactory evidence, verified by oath, that he is more than twenty-one (21) years of age and of good moral character and has met the undergraduate requirements and is a graduate of an accredited school of optometry, conferring the degree of Doctor of Optometry or its equivalent, shall, upon application, be examined by the Board of Examiners to determine his or her qualifications, and such examination shall be based upon the subjects taught in the standard schools and colleges of optometry, such as general and ocular pharmacology, anatomy of the eyes, use of the ophthalmoscope, retinoscope and the use of trial lenses, general anatomy, physiology, physics, chemistry, biology, bacteriology, ocular pathology, ocular neurology, ocular myology, psychology, physiological optics, optometrical mechanics, clinical optometry, visual field charting and orthoptics, the general laws of optics and refraction, as is essential to the practice of optometry.  Every candidate successfully passing such examination shall be registered by the Board as possessing the qualifications as required by Section 581 et seq. of this title and shall receive from the Board a certificate thereof.  Every optometrist desiring to use dangerous drugs and controlled dangerous substances as specified in Section 1 of this act shall have satisfactorily completed courses in general and ocular pharmacology at an institution accredited by the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation or the United States Department of Education.  The Board of Examiners in Optometry shall approve such courses and shall certify those qualified by such training to use dangerous drugs and controlled dangerous substances as specified in Section 1 of this act.  The use of any such pharmaceuticals by an optometrist or the obtaining of same by an optometrist shall be unlawful unless said optometrist is in possession of a current certificate as provided in this section.  Such optometrist shall furnish evidence to any pharmacist or other supplier from whom such pharmaceuticals are sought as to his holding a current certificate. The Board may, in its discretion, issue said certificates to practice, to persons otherwise qualified under this act, who have established by legal proof their knowledge of optometry, as shown by previous examination in any state of the Union; provided, the examination in said state was, at the time taken, of an equal standard with that of this state; provided, further, that citizens of this state are by the statutes of said state, admitted to practice on like conditions.

Laws 1927, c. 80, p. 119, § 4, emerg. eff. March 22, 1927; Laws 1937, p. 95, § 2, emerg. eff. April 2, 1937; Laws 1981, c. 10, § 2; Laws 1994, c. 52, § 2, eff. July 1, 1994.