New South Wales Repealed Acts

This legislation has been repealed.

OPTOMETRISTS ACT 1930 - SECT 29A

29A Use of drugs by optometrists

(1) A registered optometrist shall not in the practice of optometry use drugs unless he or she is the holder of a certificate issued by the board and for the time being in force authorising him or her to use drugs under and in accordance with the provisions of this Part.

(2) A registered optometrist who is the holder of any such certificate shall not in the practice of optometry:

(a) use any drugs other than cycloplegics, local anaesthetics, mydriatics, myotics and such other drugs as may be prescribed for use by any such registered optometrists,

(b) use any cycloplegics, local anaesthetics, mydriatics, myotics and other prescribed drugs for any purpose other than the purpose prescribed for such use,

(c) use any drugs referred to in paragraph (b) otherwise than in accordance with such restrictions and conditions as may be prescribed. Such restrictions and conditions may include restrictions and conditions as to the strength which such drugs shall not exceed when so used.

(3) The purpose for which:

(a) cycloplegics may be so used is for paralysing the accommodation of the eye,

(b) local anaesthetics may be so used is for fitting contact lenses,

(c) mydriatics may be so used is for enlarging the pupil of the eye,

(d) myotics may be so used is for instilling into the eye after a mydriatic has been used,

(e) any other prescribed drug may be so used is for the purpose prescribed in respect of such drug.

(4) Certificates in the prescribed form authorising registered optometrists to use drugs in the practice of optometry under and in accordance with the provisions of this Part may be issued by the board to registered optometrists who have successfully completed a prescribed course of instruction in the use of drugs in refraction or examination of the eyes.
Any such certificate may be withdrawn by the board at any time if the board has reason to believe that such action is warranted.

(5) Regulations for the purposes of subsections (2) and (3) shall not be made except upon the recommendation of a committee consisting of a legally qualified registered medical practitioner nominated by the Minister, a person nominated by the Council of the University of New South Wales and a person nominated by the board.

(6) Any registered optometrist who fails to comply with the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an offence against this Act and shall be liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding 2 penalty units.