Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 18.53 · 26 active provisions
The legislature finds and declares that the practice of optometry is a learned profession and affects the health, welfare and safety of the people of this state, and should be regulated in the public interest and limited to qualified persons licensed and authorized to practice under the provisions of chapters 18.53 and…
(1) The practice of optometry is defined as the examination of the human eye, the examination and ascertaining any defects of the human vision system, and the analysis of the process of vision. The practice of optometry may include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:(a) The employment of any objective or…
It is a violation of RCW 18.130.190 for any person to practice optometry in this state without first obtaining a license from the secretary of health.
The board may at its discretion, issue a permit to practice optometry during the interim between examinations, to any person who has filed an application for examination which has been accepted by the board as admitting the applicant to the next examination. Such permit shall be valid only until the date of the next ex…
An applicant holding a credential in another state may be credentialed to practice in this state without examination if the board determines that the other state's credentialing standards are substantially equivalent to the standards in this state.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to pertain in any manner to the practice of any regularly qualified oculist or physician, who is regularly licensed to practice medicine in the state of Washington, or to any person who is regularly licensed to practice as a dispensing optician in the state of Washington, nor…
Every licensed optometrist shall renew his or her license by complying with administrative procedures, administrative requirements, and fees determined according to RCW 43.70.250 and 43.70.280.
From and after January 1, 1940, in order to be eligible for examination for registration, a person shall have a preliminary education of or equal to four years in a state accredited high school and has completed a full attendance course in a regularly chartered school of optometry maintaining a standard which is deemed…
Administrative procedures, administrative requirements, and fees for issuing a license shall be determined as provided in RCW 43.70.250 and 43.70.280.
The following constitutes grounds for disciplinary action under chapter 18.130 RCW:(1) Any form of fraud or deceit used in securing a license; or(2) Any unprofessional conduct, of a nature likely to deceive or defraud the public; or(3) The employing either directly or indirectly of any person or persons commonly known…
The uniform disciplinary act, chapter 18.130 RCW, governs unlicensed practice, the issuance and denial of licenses, and the discipline of licensees under this chapter and chapter 18.54 RCW.
It shall be unlawful for any person:(1) To sell or barter, or offer to sell or barter any license issued by the secretary; or(2) To purchase or procure by barter any license with the intent to use the same as evidence of the holder's qualification to practice optometry; or(3) To alter with fraudulent intent in any mate…
It shall be unlawful for any licensee subject to the provisions of chapter 18.53 RCW to advertise to the effect that benefits in the form of indemnity will accrue to subscribers of health care service contracts for services performed by the licensee for a subscriber when the licensee is neither a health care service co…
Any person violating this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor.
All agencies of the state and its subdivisions, and all commissions, clinics and boards administering relief, public assistance, public welfare assistance, social security, health insurance, or health service under the laws of this state, shall accept the services of licensed optometrists for any service covered by the…
The legislature finds and declares that the costs of health care to the people are rising disproportionately to other costs and that there is a paramount concern that the right of the people to obtain access to health care in all its facets is being impaired thereby. For this reason, the reliance on the mechanism of in…
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the state and its political subdivisions shall accept the services of licensed optometrists for any service covered by their licenses with relation to any person receiving benefits, salaries, wages, or any other type of compensation from the state, its agencies or subdivision…
The state and its political subdivisions, and all officials, agents, employees, or representatives thereof, are prohibited from in any way discriminating against licensed optometrists in performing and receiving compensation for services covered by their licenses.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the state and its political subdivisions, and all officials, agents, employees, or representatives thereof, are prohibited from entering into any agreement or contract with any individual, group, association, or corporation which in any way, directly or indirectly, discrimina…
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose of RCW 18.53.165 through 18.53.180 and 18.53.190 it is immaterial whether the cost of any policy, plan, agreement, or contract be deemed additional compensation for services, or otherwise.
RCW 18.53.165 through 18.53.185 shall apply to all agreements, renewals, or contracts issued on or after June 7, 1973.Health care service contracts having a participant agreement with a majority of the licensed optometrists within its service area may provide benefits to persons or groups of persons through contracts w…
The information and records of a licensed optometrist pertaining to a patient shall be privileged communications, the same as now or hereafter may exist in the relationship of physician and patient and shall not be released or subjected to disclosure without the consent of the patient or as otherwise required by law.
The optometry board may adopt rules under this section authorizing an inactive license status.(1) An individual licensed under this chapter may place his or her license on inactive status. The holder of an inactive license must not practice optometry in this state without first activating the license.(2) The inactive r…
This act shall be known, and may be referred to as, "The Optometry Law".
If any provision of this 1973 act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.