Glaucoma Certification

In January 2011, regulations were finalized that allow optometrists who graduated from an accredited school of optometry before 2008 to undergo an additional certification to treat glaucoma. Optometrists that graduated after 2008 are allowed to treat glaucoma without the additional certification. The following is basic information about new requirements and some of the certification courses now available:

To become glaucoma certified, there are four basic requirements:

• The doctor must have an active license in good standing with the State Board of Optometry (SBO).
• The doctor must be TPA Certified.
• The doctor must take the 24-hour didactic course in the treatment and management of glaucoma. Licensees who graduated after May 1, 2000 are exempt from the didactic course. If you already took the didactic course, you don’t have to take it again.
• The doctor must prospectively treat 25 individual patients for a minimum of 12 consecutive months. There are three options to obtain the 25-patient requirement: a 16-hour Case Management Course, Grand Rounds Program or Preceptorship Program.

16-Hour Case Management Course

The first option is completion of a 16-hour case management course developed cooperatively by the accredited California schools and colleges of optometry and approved by the SBO, with at least 15 cases of moderate to advanced complexity. The course may be conducted live, over the Internet, or by use of telemedicine. One hour of the program will be used for a final competency examination. Although the Case Management Course does not involve treatment of patients, completion of the 16-hour Case Management Course is equivalent to prospectively treating 15 individual patients for 12 consecutive months. Therefore, completion of the 16-hour Case Management Course will count as a 15-patient credit towards the Case Management Requirement. The full course must be completed to receive the 15-patient credit. You may only take the course once for the 15-patient credit toward the 25 patient requirement.

Grand Rounds Program

A second option is completion of a 16-hour grand rounds program developed cooperatively by the accredited California schools and colleges of optometry and approved by the SBO, wherein participants will evaluate and create a management plan for live patients. Completion of the 16-hour Grand Rounds Program is equivalent to prospectively treating 15 individual patients for 12 consecutive months. Therefore, the 16-hour Grand Rounds Program will count as a 15-patient credit towards the Case Management Requirement. The full program must be completed to receive the 15-patient credit. Patients must be evaluated in person. You may only take the Grand Rounds Program once for the 15-patient credit toward the 25 patient requirement.

Preceptorship Program

The third option is to participate in a Preceptorship program. Each patient must be initially evaluated by the licensee and co-managed with a preceptor. A preceptor can be either 1) a California licensed, Board certified ophthalmologist in good standing; or 2) a California licensed optometrist in good standing, who has been glaucoma certified for two or more years.

Preceptors shall confirm the diagnosis and treatment plan, and then approve the therapeutic goals and management plan for each patient. Documentation of each patient must be made using forms available on the SBO’s website. Consultation with the preceptor must occur at appropriate clinical intervals or when the therapeutic goals are not achieved. Clinical data will be exchanged at appropriate intervals determined by the preceptor and the licensee. Telemedicine and electronic exchange of information may be used as agreed upon by the preceptor and the licensee. Each patient that is seen by the optometrist in the program will count as a 1-patient credit towards the 25 patient requirement. Each patient must be prospectively treated for a minimum of 12 consecutive months.

For more information, including a frequently asked questions fact sheet, visit the SBO webpage at www.optometry.ca.gov.