Change is in the Air
Knowing that fall is on the horizon, the visceral response for many of us is that this is a time for change. The transition to fall means something different to everyone. Maybe it’s changing our wardrobe from shorts to pants and sweaters, or shifting from the relaxed, long days of summer to the structured routine of the school year. Or maybe, for you, it’s simply changing your coffee order to a pumpkin spice latte.
(Although, word on the street is that pumpkin spice is on its way out and banana flavors are taking over. So, if you want to be on trend, you may want to consider an Iced Banana Bread Latte or Caramel Banana Brew. You’re welcome.)
As we embrace this season of change, it’s also a good time to take a look at how rapidly our optometric world is changing and to consider what changes we, as the Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA), need to make to thrive in the future.
First, since we’re talking about fall and going back to school, let’s have a quick review of a few pertinent legislative milestones for optometry.
In 1923, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry awarded the first Doctor of Optometry degree through effort and forethought from the mover and shaker Dr. Albert Fitch. Nearly four decades later, in 1961, Pennsylvania optometrists, frustrated by their inability to more fully evaluate their patients and led by Dr. Fitch, introduced legislation that would allow ODs to use diagnostic pharmaceutical agents. The bill failed.
It wasn’t until 1980 that optometry successfully passed an updated Optometric Practice and Licensure Act. ODs could now diagnose ocular disease, including glaucoma, but were still frustrated by their inability to treat it. This was particularly frustrating because the Pennsylvania College of Optometry was at the forefront of training future ODs across the country in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease. Graduates who wanted to remain in Pennsylvania, however, were unable to fully use those skills to care for their patients.
Despite the strong efforts of Pennsylvania ODs and the POA, significant opposition remained. It wasn’t until 1996 that legislation was finally signed allowing therapeutic privileges for Pennsylvania ODs, making Pennsylvania the 49th of 50 states to do so.
Since then, there have been additional updates and ongoing efforts to modernize our practice act and keep pace with the changing landscape of optometry. But that raises an important question: When will our next major legislative change happen?
Today, 17 states have passed legislation modernizing optometric scope of practice to allow ODs to perform certain optometric laser procedures. Oklahoma was the first state to do so in 1998, while Vermont became the most recent in June 2026. It’s the first state in the Northeast to do so. Additionally, 19 states now allow ODs to perform minor excisional procedures for conditions such as chalazia and hordeola.
So, what have I learned from Pennsylvania’s optometric history?
Pennsylvania ODs have been leaders in optometry across the country.
Pennsylvania ODs have faced a challenging legislative journey when it comes to modernizing our scope of practice.
Most importantly, ensuring that legislation reflects our education, training, and clinical skills requires every Pennsylvania OD to do their part and make a long-term commitment to advocacy.
Our predecessors did a tremendous job moving our profession forward. But we cannot continue to ride on their coattails, nor can we assume that progress will continue simply because it has happened before. As you just read, achieving meaningful change required hard work, persistence, and commitment. Now, it’s our turn to kick our efforts up a notch.
I think I hear someone asking, “What is my first step?” Build relationships with your legislators.
Grassroots advocacy is about more than sending an occasional email when legislation is introduced. It’s about developing relationships with elected officials before we need their votes. It means knowing who represents us in Harrisburg. It means inviting legislators to visit our practices, introducing them to our patients and staff, and helping them understand the important role optometrists play in delivering accessible, high-quality eye care to Pennsylvanians.
A personal relationship can make a difference. We want our legislators to know us as their friendly neighborhood optometrist, not simply as someone who shows up when a scope bill is on the table.
And, of course, another important piece of advocacy that I would be remiss not to mention is supporting the Pennsylvania Optometric Political Action Committee (POPAC). POPAC gives optometry in Pennsylvania an organized way to participate in the political process and support candidates who understand and appreciate the issues important to optometry and our patients.
So, as we watch the leaves change this fall, let’s remember that change in optometry is nothing new. It has been part of our history from the very beginning.
But substantial change doesn’t happen on its own. It takes persistence. It takes relationships. And, most importantly, it takes the commitment of all of us.
The next chapter of Pennsylvania optometry’s history is ours to write.
Erin Draper, O.D.
POA President
