Bad news travels fast. No doubt you have heard of the action of the 2004 Oklahoma legislature authorizing surgery by optometrists. Not content with existing law as the only state in the Union authorizing optometric laser surgery, Oklahoma again has crossed the line in the sand. (See “OD Surgery: The Line in the Sand,” January.) The public and the house of medicine must be unified in reversing this public health travesty.

Don't believe that such a thing could have happened? Here is the verbatim text from Oklahoma SHB 2321, “The practice of optometry is further defined to be nonlaser surgery procedures as authorized by the Oklahoma Board of Examiners in Optometry, pursuant to rules promulgated under the Administrative Procedures Act.” Think that the state Medical Board can challenge this in court as the unauthorized practice of medicine? The text continues, “Nothing in this title shall be construed as allowing any agency, board, or other entity of this state other than the Board of Examiners in Optometry to determine what constitutes the practice of optometry.”

The foxes are guarding the henhouse! Only optometrists can define what optometrists are legally allowed to do to the patients of Oklahoma. Optometrists will no doubt protest that they don't want to do cataract surgery, but such a privilege is only one administrative rule change by the Board of Optometry away from being an incontestable reality. Ditto for retinal and glaucoma surgery, or whatever surgery you have been trained to do.

Enough is enough! The Academy will be building a coalition of ophthalmologists, surgeons, the entire physician community and consumer groups to rally against this dangerous law.

You need to join by urging your optometric colleagues not to jeopardize the good relationship that has been building between our professions; they have much to lose when the public understands what optometric leadership is trying to do. They might stand to lose the independence of their profession as the public insists on better accountability.

Make your community aware of what is happening. Medical societies have newsletters, and they need letters to the editor. So do our trade journals and local newspapers. We need some conversations among our colleagues to be sure everyone is standing up to be counted. And finally, join by sending your financial support to the effort.

Unity is important. Any ophthalmologist who takes a position supporting optometric surgery will be exposing him- or herself as acting in self-interest at the expense of his patients' interests. This time, patients will be noticing. But more than unity, activism is important. Do not be part of the silent majority. If we all draw the same line in the sand, it will become a chasm that cannot be crossed.

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Contribute to the Surgical Scope Fund today. Contact Bob Palmer at bpalmer@aaodc.org or 202-737-6662. Remember: The Academy has relied on the Surgical Scope Fund to defeat 12 initiatives similar to the one we face now, and successes such as these come at significant cost and effort. We need your help on this urgent matter.

What do you think of optometric surgery? EyeNet Magazine wants to hear from you. Write to us at eyenet@aao.org.