Georgia Administrative Code

(1) Unprofessional conduct, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation in the practice of optical dispensing shall include but not be limited to the following: (a) the use of the title "doctor", or any abbreviation thereof by an "optical dispenser" except by a person duly licensed to pr…

The following code of ethics is hereby adopted by the Board to govern and as a guide for the conduct of licensed dispensing opticians in the practice of opticianry in this state. Each licensed optician shall: (a) Keep the visual welfare of the customer uppermost at all times; (b)…

(1) The optical dispensing practical examination shall be held a minimum of twice a year. (2) Only complete applications submitted with the required fee and all attachments and documents will be accepted by the Board. Each application must be accompanied by the following attachme…

The Board will consider applications by Endorsement for military spouses and transitioning service members as defined in O.C.G.A. § 43-1-34 (2017) subject to the following: (a) As used in this rule, the following terms shall mean: 1. "Military" means the United States armed force…

Any violation of the provisions of law governing Optical Dispensing or of any rules and regulations of the Board of Dispensing Opticians shall be cause for suspension or revocation of the license of the offender. Upon a verified complaint against any dispensing optician of such v…

(1) A "dispensing optician" is anyone who prepares, fits and dispenses prescription lenses, spectacles, eyeglasses, contact lenses, or any other type of vision-correcting optical device to the intended user. (2) A person will be considered as within this definition who does any o…

The Georgia State Board of Dispensing Opticians hereby adopts by reference as its permanent rules Chapters 295-3 through 295-13, and any future amendments thereto, Rules and Regulations of the Office of Joint Secretary, State Examining Boards, relating to Procedure for Hearings b…

In order to be admitted to the examination pursuant to that provision of O.C.G.A. § 43-29-7(b)(4) which provides "practical training and experience of a grade and character satisfactory to the Board for not less than two years under the supervision of a dispensing optician, a lic…

(1) Continuing Education courses totaling at least ten (10) hours shall be required for the biennial renewal of licenses. Of the ten (10) hours, a minimum of two (2) hours shall be in the area of contact lenses. Effective 04-01-2017, of the ten (10) hours, one hour must be on Geo…

An optician licensed by examination during the first six months of the renewal period shall be required to obtain the full ten (10) hours of continuing education; if licensed during the following twelve months he/she shall be required to obtain five (5) hours of continuing educat…

(1) The Board shall give credit for any course given by any recognized national, regional or state dispensing society or association if such courses are made available to all licensed opticians on a reasonably nondiscriminatory fee basis. (a) Some examples, non-inclusive, of such…

The Georgia State of Board of Examiners in Optometry shall be composed of five doctors of optometry and one consumer member appointed by the Governor. The Board shall annually elect a president and vice president. The public may obtain information and submit requests at the Offic…

The president and vice-president of the Board shall be elected each year and shall hold their offices until their successors are elected and qualified.

Minutes of all Board meetings and all records, documents, applications and correspondence pertaining to the executive affairs of the Board shall be sent to the President.

A doctor of optometry may be certified by the Board to use pharmaceutical agents for treatment purposes only if all of the following conditions are met: (a) The doctor of optometry is already certified to use pharmaceutical agents for diagnostic purposes; (b) The doctor of optome…

(1) The following examination has been approved by the Board as meeting the requirements for therapeutic certification: (a) The National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) examination in "Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease" (TMOD). (2) The Board reserves the right to …

(1) Pharmaceutical agents which are used by a doctor of optometry for treatment purposes may only be: (a) Non-narcotic oral analgesics, hydrocodone administered orally, and Schedule III or Schedule IV controlled substances which are oral analgesics; (b) Used for ocular pain; and …

The license of any doctor of optometry who commits any of the following acts has engaged in unprofessional conduct and shall be subject to disciplinary sanctions pursuant to O.C.G.A. 43-1-19 and 43-30-9: (a) using any pharmaceutical agent for treatment purposes prior to becoming …

Candidates for licensure in Georgia will be required to pass Parts 1, 2 and 3 if applicable of the National Board examinations; and Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD) examination or a subsequent examination approved by the board which tests knowledge of pharmacolog…

The required fee must accompany the appropriate application as noted in the following schedule: (a) Application fee -- As set forth on the fee schedule adopted by the Board; (b) Examination fee -- As set forth on the fee schedule adopted by the Board; (c) Re-Examination fee -- As…

The Board may license by endorsement, an optometrist who holds a license that was obtained by examination from another state or territory of the United States subject to the following conditions: (a) An applicant for licensure by endorsement must have been engaged in the active p…

The Board will consider applications by Endorsement for military spouses and transitioning service members as defined in O.C.G.A. § 43-1-34 (2017) subject to the following: (a) As used in this rule, the following terms shall mean: 1. "Military" means the United States armed force…

1. A doctor of optometry may be certified by the Board to administer pharmaceutical agents by injection for diagnosis or treatment purposes if one of the following conditions are met: (a) The doctor of optometry has successfully completed an injectable training program that has b…

(1) Candidates for licensure in Georgia will be required to pass Parts I, II and III of the National Board examinations; and Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD) examination, and the Georgia State Jurisprudence examination administered by the Georgia State Board of O…

The Board shall refuse to issue its license to practice and may suspend or revoke its license to practice issued to any person who is not of good moral character, or who commits an act involving moral turpitude, or who is guilty of highly unprofessional conduct, or whose certific…

Each licensed optometrist shall maintain his/her current mailing address with the Board. Address changes may be submitted in writing to the Board, or license holders may update their mailing and physical addresses online at the PLB website, www.sos.ga.gov/plb. A current e-mail ad…

(1) The Board has pre-approved continuing education (post-graduate) courses from schools and colleges of optometry accredited by the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association; a maximum of ten (10) hours per biennium in ophthalmologic related courses …

Georgia licensed optometrists may request in writing to the Board that their active license to practice optometry in Georgia be placed in inactive status under the following conditions: (a) The request must be received prior to the license expiration date to be considered. There …

(1) Each person holding a valid license to practice optometry shall renew said license with the Division Director by completing and filing the renewal form furnished by the Board. Said licenses expire on December 31 of every odd-numbered years and shall be renewed biennially upon…

(1) The Board shall issue a volunteer license to optometrists who: (a) Submits an application for a volunteer license to the Board; and (b) Holds a current, unrestricted license in good standing to practice optometry in any licensing jurisdiction of the United States; or if the a…

(1) Reinstatement is at the sole discretion of the Board. (2) The Board may consider reinstatement when the following requirements have been met: (a) Reinstatement applications received within one (1) year from the last effective date of the licensee shall include evidence of thi…

The following Code of Ethics is hereby adopted by the Board to govern and as a guide for the conduct of licensed Doctor of Optometry in the practice of optometry in this state. Each licensed Doctor of Optometry shall: (a) keep the visual or optometric welfare of the patient upper…

(1) By the authority granted under Section 43-30-5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the Georgia Board of Examiners in Optometry has the authority to adopt, establish, enforce, and maintain rules and regulations applicable to the practice of optometry adequate to put O.C…

(1) Before diagnosing or prescribing a treatment plan for any patient, including prescriptions for glasses, contact lenses or other optical devices, the following must be met and determined: (a) case history as related by patient; and (b) any pathological conditions of the eyes, …

(1) A contact lens is any device placed on the anterior of the surface of the eye for refractive, cosmetic, diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. (2) All parameters for fabrication of the lenses must be included. (3) Prescription for contact lenses shall clearly state an expiration…

(1) Intent- It is the intent of this rule to promote the cooperation of doctors of optometry and other health care providers in the delivery of care to mutual patients within the scope of their respective professional practices. (2) Nothing in these rules shall be construed to pr…

(1) A licensed doctor of optometry may not publish or display or cause to be published or displayed in any newspaper or by radio, television, billboard, window display, or any other means or medium, any statement or advertisement concerning ophthalmic services or materials, inclu…

Proceedings for the revocation or suspension of a license to practice optometry in the State of Georgia shall be initiated: (a) by the Board acting upon information within its knowledge; or (b) by the written verified complaint of any person alleging facts which if true would con…

Complaints filed pursuant to subsection (b) of Rule 430-7-.01 shall plainly and fully set forth the matters asserted; shall specify the portions of the Georgia Code and/or the rules of the Board upon which the complaint is founded; shall identify the respondent licensee; shall co…

The Board may dismiss on its own motion and without a hearing any complaint and/or any amendment to a complaint which fails to allege a ground for the revocation or suspension of a license.

Each licensee is required to notify the Board, in writing, within thirty (30) days of the final disposition of any administrative, civil, or criminal action whenever that final disposition relates to the practice of optometry or involves the subject matter of the offenses cited i…

The Georgia State Board of Examiners in Optometry hereby adopts by reference as its permanent rules Chapters 430-1 through 430-11, and any future amendments thereto, Rules and Regulations of the Office of Joint Secretary, State Examining Boards, relating to Procedure for Hearings…

(1) Graduates Within 5 Years (1975 And Later). Certification from a school of Optometry that the doctor of optometry is educationally qualified to use agents for diagnostic purposes. Eight (8) quarter hours or 96 Board approved clock hours shall be the minimum requirement. (2) Gr…

(1) Any doctor of optometry who is not certified by the Board to use topically applied pharmaceutical agents for diagnostic purposes, but who uses such agents for any purpose in the practice of optometry, is guilty of unprofessional conduct and shall be subject to disciplinary sa…