Christiana Munroe

I am disappointed to see that the New Hampshire legislature has again introduced legislation in HB 349 that would grant optometrists - who are not medical doctors or doctors of osteopathy and trained surgeons - the authority to perform delicate eye surgeries using laser instruments on patients. The New Hampshire legislature should not risk the high standards of surgical safety and quality of care now available in New Hampshire. Eye surgery of any kind should only be performed by specially trained and experienced physicians and surgeons with proper medical training. Proponents of this type of legislation in other states claim that optometrists are trained to perform surgery and that they will only perform “minor, non-invasive surgery." If it involves operating with a laser inside the eyeball, then it's invasive. There is no such thing as minor laser surgery. The authority to perform surgery is earned through education and training. The thought of someone who hasn't obtained a medical degree or completed surgical residency operating anywhere near my eyes or the eyes of my loved ones one is downright scary. With an ever-changing healthcare landscape, the last thing we need is to lower the standards of patient safety, especially when it comes to surgery on or near our eyes. New Hampshire should maintain its high standards for eye care. There is no legitimate reason to risk patient safety to fix a problem that doesn’t exist. House Bill 349 is still bad medicine for New Hampshire’s patients. Thank you for your consideration on this important medical safety issue.