Title 54 — PROFESSIONS, VOCATIONS, AND BUSINESSES

54-1501. Practice of optometry defined. Optometry is defined as the science which relates to the examination, diagnosis and treatment of conditions of or relating to the eyes and/or eyelids, the analysis of their function and the employment of preventive or corrective measures to…

54-1502. License a prerequisite to practice. (1) It is unlawful for any person to practice optometry unless he shall obtain a license to do so as provided in this chapter. (2) Any person who shall practice or attempt to practice optometry, as defined in this chapter, without havi…

54-1502A. nonlicensed persons — penalties and remedies. (1) The board may investigate any person engaged in the practice of optometry within the state of Idaho or any person believed to have acted as an optometrist without being duly licensed as required by this chapter. Upon rec…

54-1503. State board of optometry established — Qualifications. (1) There is hereby established in the division of occupational and professional licenses a state board of optometry composed of five (5) members who shall be appointed by the governor. The governor may consider reco…

54-1506. License fees. (1) All fees of any kind collected under the provisions of this chapter shall be paid to the division of occupational and professional licenses and deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the occupational licenses fund and all costs and expenses in…

54-1508. State board of optometry — Organization — Meetings — Expenses. (1) The board of optometry shall meet on or before September 15 of each year and select from its members a chairman and a secretary who shall serve at the pleasure of the board. The secretary shall keep the m…

54-1509. State board of optometry — Powers and duties. In order to protect the public in the practice of optometry, better enable members of the public to fix professional responsibility and further safeguard the doctor-patient relationship, the state board of optometry shall hav…

54-1510. Revocation of licenses — Grounds. Every license issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to suspension, revocation or other discipline upon any of the following grounds pursuant to the procedures set forth in chapter 52, title 67, Idaho Code. All hear…

54-1512. Penalties and reinstatement. (1) Upon the finding of the existence of grounds for discipline of any person holding a license, seeking a license, or renewing a license under the provisions of this chapter, the board of optometry may impose one (1) or more of the following…

54-1513. Duty of prosecuting attorney — Duty of attorney general. It shall be the duty of the prosecuting attorney of each county to prosecute all violations of this chapter constituting a violation of criminal law and it shall be the duty of the attorney general of the state of …

54-1514. Publication of directory and law. The division of occupational and professional licenses shall each year make available the names and addresses of all licensed optometrists of the state of Idaho and the laws applicable to the practice of optometry.

54-1515. Limitations on application of chapter. A license to practice optometry, as provided in this chapter, is not required for the following practices: 1. Practice by persons authorized under the laws of this state to practice medicine and surgery. 2. The sale of eyeglasses or…

54-1516. Limitation on application of chapter — Nurses, school teachers or welfare workers. It is not the intent of this chapter to prevent any nurse, school teacher or welfare worker, employed in public service, from ascertaining the probable need of visual services, provided su…

54-1517. Ophthalmic lens or prism — Acceptance for duplication by other than licensed optometrist or physician prohibited — Exception. It shall be unlawful for any person other than a licensed optometrist or physician to accept or offer to accept for purpose of duplication any op…

54-1518. division of occupational and professional licenses — Powers and duties. The division of occupational and professional licenses shall have the following powers and duties: (1) To accept applications for examinations and issue licenses to optometrists pursuant to requireme…

54-1519. Examinations — Applications. Any person who shall desire to begin the practice of optometry in the state of Idaho shall file an application in his own handwriting on forms furnished by the board for an examination, which application shall state among other things, his co…

54-1520. license — Qualifications of applicants — issuance. (1) Every applicant for a license to practice optometry shall: (a) Not have been convicted, found guilty, or received a withheld judgment or suspended sentence in this state or in any other state of a crime that is deeme…

54-1521. Conduct of examinations — Subject included. Except as herein otherwise provided, each applicant shall be examined to determine his knowledge of the subjects essential to the practice of optometry. Examinations shall be written and practical, and shall include the require…

54-1522. License — Renewal and reinstatement — certification requirement. (1) License renewal and reinstatement shall be in accordance with section 67-2614, Idaho Code. (2) Effective January 1, 2021, every holder of a license to practice optometry must be certified to use therape…

54-1523. Fees. Each applicant for examination or reexamination after failure in a former examination shall remit a fee as established by board regulation not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) with each application to the board.

54-1524. Injunction procedure. The board or any resident citizen may maintain an action in equity in the name of the state of Idaho to enjoin perpetually any person, firm, company, corporation or partnership from persisting in the doing of any acts constituting a violation of thi…

54-1525. Referrals by optical firms prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person engaged in the business of manufacturing, selling or dispensing any ophthalmic materials, in any manner to influence or attempt to influence any patron in the choice of an optometrist or physician…