Virginia Law

Article 2. Board of Optometry.

The Board shall be composed of six members as follows: five licensed optometrists and one citizen member. Licensed optometrists appointed to the Board shall be individuals who, at the time of appointment, (i) have been engaged in the practice of optometry for at least five years, (ii) have met all requirements for practice as an optometrist set forth in this chapter and are qualified to engage in the full scope of the practice of optometry, and (iii) are actively engaged in the delivery of clinical care to patients. The terms of office of the members shall be four years.

Code 1950, §§ 54-371, 54-375; 1979, c. 39; 1986, c. 464; 1988, cc. 42, 765; 1996, cc. 152, 158; 2019, c. 340.

Nominations may be made for each professional vacancy from a list of at least three names submitted to the Governor by the Virginia Optometric Association, Incorporated. The Governor may notify the Association promptly of any professional vacancy other than by expiration and like nominations may be made for the filling of the vacancy. In no case shall the Governor be bound to make any appointment from among the nominees of the Association.

Code 1950, § 54-372; 1986, c. 464; 1988, c. 765.

Any member of the Board may, upon being designated by a majority of the Board, administer oaths or take testimony concerning any matter within the jurisdiction of the Board.

Code 1950, § 54-377; 1988, c. 765.

The Board shall adopt a seal of which the executive director shall have the custody. The executive director shall keep a record of all proceedings of the Board, which shall be open to the public for inspection.

Code 1950, § 54-378; 1988, c. 765.

The Board shall set the necessary standards to be attained in the examinations to entitle the candidate to receive a license to practice optometry.

The Board may determine a score that it considers satisfactory on any written examination of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.

Those persons licensed on or before June 30, 1997, to practice optometry in the Commonwealth but not certified to administer diagnostic pharmaceutical agents may continue to practice optometry but may not administer diagnostic pharmaceutical agents without satisfying the requirements of this section. Those persons licensed after June 30, 1997, shall be considered as certified to administer diagnostic pharmaceutical agents. After June 30, 2004, every person who is initially licensed to practice optometry in the Commonwealth shall meet the qualifications for a TPA-certified optometrist.

Code 1950, §§ 54-380 through 54-382; 1972, c. 824; 1973, c. 90; 1988, c. 765; 1996, cc. 365, 436; 2004, c. 744; 2023, c. 268.