Section 1320.335  Oral Pharmaceutical Agents

a)         Any optometrist licensed before January 1, 2008, prior to utilizing or prescribing any oral pharmaceutical agents permitted under the Act (except non-narcotic oral analgesic and over the counter agents), shall successfully complete a course of study and testing as designated in Section 1320.335(b).  Graduates from an approved program of optometry subsequent to January 1, 2008 shall not be required to complete the course and may utilize and prescribe all oral pharmaceutical agents permitted by the Act.

b)         An approved course of study in oral pharmaceutical agents shall be approved by the Board and shall meet the following requirements:

1)         The program has a faculty that comprises a sufficient number of instructors to make certain that the educational obligations to the students are fulfilled.  The faculty must have demonstrated competence in their area of teaching as evidenced by appropriate degrees from accredited colleges or institutions and clinical and teaching experience.

2)         The program has a curriculum that contains updates in at least the following areas:

A)        Patient medical history/drug history.

B)        General pharmacokinetics or oral administration.

C)        Concerns in special populations.

D)        Treatment of ocular disease with oral pharmaceutical agents, including contraindications, drug interactions, systemic toxicities and ocular effects for the following:

i)          Oral anti-infective agents

•           Oral anti-bacterial

•           Oral anti-fungals

•           Oral anti-virals

ii)         Oral anti-glaucoma agents

•           CAIs

•           Osmotic agents

iii)        Oral anti-allergy agents

•           Antihistamines

•           Mast-cell degranulation inhibitors

•           Decongestant combinations

iv)        Oral anti-inflammatory agents

•           Steroids

•           NSAIDS

v)         Oral analgesics

•           NSAIDS

•           Opiates

E)        Clinical case studies, including the use of controlled substances, treatment options, patient management and referral in the following areas:

i)          Infectious ocular disease

•           Bacterial

•           Viral

•           Fungal

ii)         Glaucoma

iii)        Allergic eye disease

iv)        Inflammatory ocular disease

v)         Management of ocular pain

vi)        Treatment of drug induced emergencies

F)         Jurisprudence

Illinois Optometric Practice Act Rules – pharmaceutical agents

i)          Requirements

ii)         Restrictions

3)         The program includes a minimum of 12 instructional hours with an examination designed to test the student's knowledge and ability to apply the program's subject matter.

A)        The examination shall be administered and proctored by a licensed CE sponsor.  All examinations must be developed and approved by a program of optometry approved under Section 1320.20.

B)        Verification of student identification shall be required.

C)        The content of all examinations shall be made available to the Division for review upon request.

4)         In addition to all other requirements, the program must meet the requirements of Section 1320.80 (Continuing Education).  12 hours of continuing education credit will be granted for successful completion of the course and test in the renewal period in which the lecture portion of the course was completed.

5)         Requests for course approval must be submitted to the Division no later than 90 days prior to the beginning of the course.  Sponsors shall provide course documentation and any other documentation required by the Board.

c)         Failure to successfully complete an approved educational course in oral pharmaceutical agents prior to March 31, 2010 shall result in the licensee being placed in non-renewed status until such a course is successfully completed.  A licensee in non-renewed status may not practice optometry within the State of Illinois.

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 6008, effective April 5, 2024)