Chapter 449 — OPTOMETRY EXAMINING BOARD

449.01 Definitions. (1) OPTOMETRY. (a) The practice of the profession of optometry is defined as: 1. The employment of any optometric means, including topical ocular diagnostic pharmaceutical agents under s. 449.17, to determine the visual efficiency of the human visual system, i…

449.015 Discrimination prohibited. Any agency of the state, county, municipality or school district shall accept the optometric services of optometrists licensed under this chapter, on 449.09 449.10 449.11 449.12 449.17 449.18 449.19 449.20 449.25 Investigations. Advertising. Pen…

449.02 Licenses; exemptions. (1) No person shall practice optometry within the meaning of this chapter without a license to do so and a valid certificate of registration issued by the examining board, except that a dispensing optician need not be so licensed for the practice of o…

449.03 Enforcement. (1) No rule made by the examining board shall expand the practice of optometry or affect the practice of dispensing opticians, nor shall the examining board enact rules which forbid the employment of an optometrist or declare such employment unprofessional con…

449.04 Examination and licensure. (1) The examining board may grant a license to engage in the practice of optometry only to a person who satisfies all of the following conditions: (a) The person presents proof satisfactory to the examining board that, subject to ss. 111.321, 111…

449.055 Endorsement. The examining board may issue a license and certificate of registration to a person who is licensed in good standing to practice optometry in another state that has substantially similar requirements if all of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The p…

449.06 Renewal; continuing education. (1) Persons practicing optometry shall, on or before the applicable renewal date specified under s. 440.08 (2) (a), register with the department, pay the applicable renewal fee determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a), and provide…

449.065 Display of registration. Every practicing optometrist shall display in a conspicuous place, at the entrance of his or her office, the name of the person so practicing and shall keep the certificate of registration issued by the examining board conspicuously displayed in t…

449.07 Denial, limitation, suspension, revocation, reprimand. (1) The examining board, by order, may reprimand and may deny, limit, suspend or revoke any license or certificate of registration if the licensee or registrant: (a) Obtained the license or certificate through error or…

449.08 Unprofessional conduct. (1) Unprofessional conduct includes without limitation because of enumeration: (a) Any conduct of a character likely to deceive or defraud the public; (b) Loaning of an optometric license or certificate to anyone; (d) Splitting or dividing any fee f…

449.09 Investigations. Subject to the rules promulgated under s. 440.03 (1), the examining board may make investigations and conduct hearings in regard to the conduct of any licensed optometrist or any person who, it has reason to believe, is acting or has acted in such capacity …

449.10 Advertising. No rule of the examining board, unless intended to regulate false or misleading advertising, may restrict advertising on products and nonvariable services. In this section, May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26) 3 Updated 23-24 Wis. Stats. …

449.11 Penalties. Any person not lawfully authorized to practice optometry, who shall practice optometry or shall hold himself or herself out as a practitioner thereof, or who shall impersonate another practitioner or who shall violate any provisions of this chapter, or any rule …

449.12 Interpretation. This chapter is passed in the interests of public health, safety and welfare and its provisions shall be liberally construed to carry out its objects and purposes. 449.17 Use of diagnostic pharmaceuticals. (1) APPLIAn optometrist may use topical ocular diag…

449.17 (1m) (b) and 449.18 (2) (a) 2. and passes the examinations specified in ss. 449.17 (1m) (c) and 449.18 (2) (a) 3. History: 2005 a. 297, ss. 16 to 19; 2013 a. 114.

449.18 Removals from eyes; use of therapeutic pharmaceuticals. (1) APPLICABILITY. No optometrist may use therapeutic pharmaceutical agents or remove foreign bodies from an eye or from an appendage to the eye unless one of the following applies: (a) The examining board initially i…

449.19 Referral to other health care professionals. If, during the course of examining a person, an optometrist determines the existence of a pathological condition requiring treatment outside the scope of the practice of optometry, the op- 4 tometrist shall so advise the person …

449.20 Civil immunity. No optometrist shall be liable for any civil damages for either of the following: (1) Reporting in good faith to the department of transportation under s. 146.82 (3) a patient’s name and other information relevant to the vision of the patient which in the o…

449.25 Informed consent. (1) Any optometrist who treats a patient shall inform the patient about the availability of reasonable alternate modes of treatment and about the benefits and risks of these treatments. The reasonable optometrist standard is the standard for informing a p…