Optometry, Arkansas State Board

2024 License Renewals

Our Mission

To protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Arkansas.

What We Do

Provide laws and regulations to govern the practice of optometry.
Examine, license, and regulate Arkansas optometrists.
Safeguard against unprofessional, unlawful, and incompetent practice of optometry.
Regulate out-of-state contact lens dispensers.

Recall

FDA Eyedrop Recall

Announcements

The PDMP has created a 1-hour presentation entitled “2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain.”

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Department of Health. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

This live activity is designated for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits
This live activity is designated for a maximum of 1.0 ANCC Contact Hours
This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits
This activity is designated for up to 1.0 ACPE contact hours or 0.1 CEU

The PDMP has set up several, free live offerings to attend at Noon on Wednesdays from 9/17/24 – 05/07/25. Click here to register.

A legislative mandate to reduce board licensure fees by 95% is in effect from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025. All fees will return to the regular rates on July 1, 2025.

Office of Inspector General Advisory Opinion on Potential Violation of Federal Anti-Kickback Legislation

Office of Inspector General Advisory Opinion

Continuing Education

Outline of Continuing Education Hours beginning July 1, 2022

Optometric Physicians:

20 Total Hours
- All 20 hours may be obtained through Live in Person Education or:
  - 12 Hours – Live in Person Education (Cope and/or Board approved)
    - Any CE obtained out of state must be Cope approved
  - 8 Hours – Distance Learning…can be any of the following
    - Interactive Distance Learning (Synchronous…live event online)
    - Enduring Distance Learning (Asynchronous…recorded event online…with a test)
    - Printed Material with test
    - Online Jurisprudence Hour

Optometrists (Non-Optometric Physicians):

12 Total Hours
- All 12 hours may be obtained through Live in Person Education or
  - 8 Hours – Live in Person Education (Cope and/or Board approved)
    - Any CE obtained out of state must be Cope approved
  - 4 Hours – Distance Learning…can be any of the following
    - Interactive Distance Learning (Synchronous…live event online)
    - Enduring Distance Learning (Asynchronous…recorded event online…with a test)
    - Printed Material with test
    - Online Jurisprudence Hour

Act 651 Information

During the February 17, 2022 Board meeting the Board voted to accept Act 651 Guidelines. This policy provides direction for prescribing an opioid antagonist to a patient when an opioid prescription is prescribed or dispensed. All optometric physicians prescribing opioids to patients must begin following these guidelines.

Jurisprudence Continuing Education – Correspondence Quiz

The 2023 Jurisprudence online correspondence quiz is now available. You are now able to take the quiz and pay for it using a credit card or checking account. The quiz will be graded online, and the results forwarded to the Board office.

**Please Note – You must get 28 questions correct to pass the quiz. Payment is collected at the end after the scores are tabulated. If you have any questions, please contact the Board office.

Click the link below to be directed to the quiz. You will need your license number and date of birth to begin.

Jurisprudence Exam

Board Information

Board of Directors

Beatrice Reed, O.D., President
Susan DeBlack, O.D., Vice-President
Robert Fitzhugh, O.D., Secretary-Treasurer
Matthew Jones, O.D.
James Hertzog, O.D.
Open Position – Consumer Representative Age 60+
Open Position – Consumer Representative

Staff

Suzette Weast, Director
Amber LeClerc, Fiscal Support Specialist

Board Meetings:

Meetings are held at 1:30pm at Freeway Medical Tower, 5800 W. 10th St., Suite 906, Little Rock, AR 72204.

Boards & Commissions