- AOA expands the Future Practice Initiative to support priority legislative pursuits
- Arkansas doctors continue to fight for transparency and fair compensation
- Louisiana unanimously approves comprehensive VBM regulations
- Virginia expands access to patient care with new dispensing law
- Landmark Win: Tennessee Modernizes Eye Care with Scope Expansion
- Historic win for Kansas patients and optometrists
- Medical groups tally defeats as AOA and affiliates stay alert to nationwide ‘not-a-doctor’ threat
- AOA State Government Relations Committee earns 4 major wins in 2025
- South Carolina Supreme Court upholds state’s Eye Care Patient Protection Law
- Vision test kiosks elicit state patient safety alert
- Arkansas doctors rallying to defeat EyeMed tactics that undermine purpose of state’s new VBM accountability law
- State champs
- Minnesota passes long-awaited scope expansion bill
- Texas unanimously passes groundbreaking VBM access bill
- 650+ reasons why these powerhouse state sessions are advancing optometry
- Study: ‘Unprecedented’ optometry scope of practice expansion benefits patients
- Major victory for West Virginia patients, optometrists
- North Dakota secures telemedicine provisions, ignites grassroots advocacy
- How to build productive relationships with legislators
- Why you should fight for scope expansion
- Committee spotlight: AOA’s State Government Relations Committee
- How Arkansas’ major VBM law delivers on calls to promote fairness, doctor-patient relationships
- Texas optometrists mount defense in court and legislature of landmark law on vision plan abuses
- The case for expanding scope of optometry
- In rural America, opportunity for optometry amid shortfall of ophthalmologists
- Destination: Scope expansion
- Double duty: Doctors of optometry bring their vision to state legislatures
- 'High value' strategy sessions prep states’ advocacy
- VBM abuses scrutinized by state policy think tank, U.S. Senate opens new investigation
- AOA, affiliates’ foundational advocacy work advancing optometry
- South Carolina judge overrules Visibly challenge to consumer protection law
- Oklahoma secures optometry’s latest win over vision plan abuses
- What kind of impact is optometry making on the nation’s eye health?
- ‘Profits over patients cannot continue’ with VBMs; Texas testifies at health insurance hearing
- Kentucky attorney general holds Warby Parker accountable for its online vision test
- New York assembly bill potentially sows division in health care
- California warily watches ‘not-a-doctor’ wording in Senate bill
- Latest: Texas defends landmark vision plan law
- West Virginia adds optometric surgical procedures
- Florida optometrists quash effort—again—to pass ‘not-a-doctor’ bill
- South Dakota secures scope expansion for injections, optometric laser procedures
- Affiliates, AOA preparing for fresh attacks on optometry: 'Not-a-doctor' bills are back
- Texas vision plan law, now in effect, sees favorable development in federal lawsuit
- Proposal in Utah would restrict contact lens patient choice, disrupt doctor-patient relationship
- Affiliates, AOA share forward-thinking strategies for optometry’s advocates
- Texas’ vision plan law takes effect, court challenge continues
- Doctors of optometry in New Hampshire earn authorization to provide vaccines to public
- New Texas law halts vision plans’ anti-competitive, monopolistic behaviors
- YAG procedures by doctors of optometry, after cataract surgery, better for patients’ care and convenience, AOA survey says
- Affiliates’ advocacy teams prepare to convene for meeting of the minds
- Doctors of optometry in Texas and Nevada build bulwark against vision plan abuses
- DeSantis decision delivers historic win for Florida optometrists and patients
- AOA and state affiliates rally to decry and defeat discriminatory ‘not-a-doctor’ bills
- Optometry’s scope wins draw new attacks from medical and ophthalmology groups
- Regional Advocacy Meetings prime states’ advocates for 2023 battles and beyond
- Hubble Contacts fined for deceptive trade practices in Texas
- Scope victory for Colorado
- Regional Advocacy Meetings strengthen states advocacy
- Virginia scope advancement
- 1-800 Contacts’ attempt to undermine law thwarted by Georgia doctors yet again
- MOA rebuff insurers reprisals against Mississippi eye care providers
- New York gains oral medication prescribing authority
- California amends optometry’s approved treatments, medications and testing
- Kansas Insurance Department puts vision plans on notice
- State advocates fighting to defend and advance our profession
- The scope of success
- State Advocacy Summit amplifies lessons from year of historic scope victories
- Texas scope expansion gains doctors oral meds, glaucoma authority
- Wyoming expands scope to include contemporary laser-excision procedures
- Mississippi scope progresses, other states seeing early successes
- 7 states authorize doctors of optometry for COVID-19 vaccinations
- Massachusetts scope win adds glaucoma authority
- Going further-expanding advocacy efforts and educational and professional development efforts
- Pennsylvania and Iowa earn big victories to expand scope of practice
- Optometry patients win in Arkansas as ballot challenge to expanded practice law is invalidated
- VSP policy change may violate states patient protection laws
- Court-appointed official deems signatures at heart of Arkansas scope saga invalid
- Arkansas scope saga necessitates urgent action
- Scope expansion to save Americans billions annually
- State Government Relations Center presenting at Republican Attorneys General Association
- Arkansas secures expanded scope of practice
- Maryland expands scope of practice
- AOA state affiliates blaze path for optometry’s future
- Optometry can contribute high-quality health care at affordable prices
- AOA president Driving change
- NJ Vision Plan Bill 2018
- Massachusetts seeks glaucoma care expansion
- Alaska-Georgia legislative victories
- South Carolina legislators override veto safeguard patients vision health
- Georgia Nebraska advance patient centered legislation
- Indiana navigates telehealth bill exempts ophthalmic devices
- FTC DOJ weigh in on Massachusetts glaucoma care expansion
- Arizona No on contact lens prescription extension
- Kentucky heralds third party triumph in new law
- State association challenges mobile refractive service
- Texas doctor successfully challenges Aetna’s policy on panels
- Proposed state legislation doesnt address patient safety
- AOA steps up fight against 1 800 Contacts anti patient legislation
- Louisiana Governor Jindal signs expanded scope of practice bill
Historic win: Vermont advances optometry’s nationwide scope momentum
June 25, 2026
Vermont becomes the 17th state to authorize optometric laser procedures—and the third state in 2026 to modernize optometric practice.
Tag(s): Advocacy, State Advocacy
Key Takeaways
- Vermont becomes the 17th state to authorize doctors of optometry to perform in-office procedures, including ophthalmic laser.
- The victory marks the third major state scope win for optometry in 2026.
- The new law advances patient access to timely, in-office eye health care.
- Beginning July 1, 2028, Vermont doctors of optometry who complete requisite specialty license will be authorized to perform specific laser procedures, injections and minor surgical procedures
In another historic win for patients and doctors of optometry, Vermont has enacted legislation modernizing optometric scope of practice and expanding access to essential eye health care services.
Signed by Gov. Phil Scott on June 18, the new law creates an Advanced Therapeutic Procedures Specialty License and, beginning July 1, 2028, authorizes qualified Vermont doctors of optometry to provide additional in-office procedures, including certain ophthalmic laser procedures.
With this victory, Vermont becomes the 17th state in the nation to authorize doctors to perform ophthalmic laser procedures—and the third state in 2026 to achieve a major scope advancement, following landmark wins in Kansas and Tennessee.
"This is a historic day for Vermont patients and doctors of optometry," says Tina Keshava, O.D., Vermont Optometric Association (VOA) president. "For years, Vermont doctors have worked to ensure our laws reflect the education and training we receive today. This legislation will improve access to care across our state and help more patients receive the services they need closer to home."
Vermont doctors of optometry who complete the required training will be authorized to perform a range of in-office procedures, including:
- Laser capsulotomy
- Laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI)
- Laser trabeculoplasty (SLT)
- Corneal cross-linking
- Removal of certain eyelid and periocular lesions
- Repair of minor eyelid injuries
- Periocular injections for medications and anesthesia
The VOA spearheaded the effort, leading a years-long campaign to educate policymakers and advance legislation that reflects contemporary optometric education and patient care needs. The success was bolstered by support from the AOA State Government Relations Center, whose advocacy expertise and partnership helped reinforce Vermont optometry's efforts.
For Vermont patients, the law will mean improved access to timely care closer to home. For optometry, it represents another important milestone in a growing nationwide movement to modernize outdated practice laws and ensure doctors of optometry can practice to the full extent of their education, training and licensure.
Scope wins continue nationwide
Vermont’s victory follows Tennessee and Kansas, which earlier this year became the 15th and 16th states to modernize optometric scope with a focus on laser authority and clinical standards.
Together, these wins demonstrate the continued strength of state affiliate advocacy and the growing recognition among policymakers that modernizing optometric practice laws improves access to essential eye health and vision care.
"Vermont's victory is about more than one state; it reflects the growing momentum behind expanding patient access to care across America," says AOA President Jacquie M. Bowen, O.D. "As the third major scope advancement of 2026, this historic win demonstrates the increasing recognition of doctors of optometry as essential healthcare providers at the ready to address Americans’ needs. The AOA is proud to stand alongside the VOA and affiliates nationwide as we continue advancing the future of eye health care."
Join your state optometric association or the AOA State Government Relations Committee to be part of optometry’s next big win.