January 9, 2024

Sacramento – AB 1570 from Assembly Member Evan Low (D-Campbell) today successfully passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee. This critical bill will allow doctors of optometry to perform in-office eye care procedures, increasing eye care access at a time when patients face long wait times for specialty care, particularly vulnerable patients in the Medi-Cal program.

After the successful vote, Assembly Member Low said, “The need for this bill is clear. Currently patients may have to wait months to see an ophthalmologist for procedures that optometrists are trained to provide and have safely performed in other states for decades. Allowing skilled and highly educated doctors of optometry to perform these procedures will result in shorter wait times, lower costs, and open the doors to better eye health for patients.”

At today’s hearing, optometrists shared that demand for in-office procedures will only grow as California expands Medi-Cal eligibility. “As of January 1, there are now more people than ever eligible for California’s low-cost medical insurance plan, the vast majority of whom are people of color. But for that expanded access to be truly meaningful, patients must be able to actually receive the care they’re entitled to. In many areas of this state, access to specialty eye care is a real problem,” said Jeff Garcia, OD. 

Garcia said, “I practice in the Central Valley where it can take months to see an ophthalmologist willing to accept Medi-Cal. Optometrists already provide the vast majority of eye care under Medi-Cal, are located in almost every county in California, and are trusted providers for patients of diverse backgrounds. Optometrists are well situated to bridge the provider gap for eye conditions that are becoming more common as our population ages.”   

Over the past year Asm. Low and the bill’s sponsor, the California Optometric Association worked closely with organizations representing ophthalmologists to address their concerns about the bill. The bill, amended in early January, increases the number of patient visits and procedures required for the additional advanced procedures certification and limits these treatments to adults.  

“Optometrists are highly educated professionals who are willing and able to perform procedures in their offices. Allowing them to practice to their full potential will in turn increase vital healthcare access for Californians, and free up eye surgeons to perform complex surgeries and injections for eye age-related conditions like glaucoma, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration. We urge lawmakers to support AB 1570 as it continues through the Legislature,” said COA president Candi Kimura, OD.