Board of Optometry

Mission statement

The mission of the Board of Optometry is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and to provide for state administrative control, supervision, licensure, and regulation of the practice of optometry.

Board duties:

• Establish qualifications for minimal competency to grant or deny licensure of optometrists.
• Regulate the competency and quality of professional healthcare providers in Washington by establishing, monitoring and enforcing qualifications for licensure.
• Establish and monitoring compliance with continuing education requirements.
• Ensure consistent standards of practice.
• Develop continuing competency mechanisms.
• Assess, investigate and make recommendations related to complaints against optometrists which may range from a Notice of Correction to a license revocation.
• Serve as reviewing members on disciplinary cases and serve on disciplinary hearing panels.
• Serve as members of standing committees, when appointed.
• Develop rules, policies, and procedures that promote the delivery of quality healthcare to state residents.

Qualifications

The board has five optometrists and one public member appointed by the governor.

The optometrist members:

• Must be residents of this state.
• Must have been in active practice as a licensed optometrist in Washington for at least four years immediately preceding the effective date of the appointment.
• May not have any connection with any optical supply business.

The public member may not:

• Be a member of any other healthcare licensing board or commission.
• Have a fiduciary obligation to a facility rendering healthcare services.
• Have a financial interest in the rendering of health services.

Board participation expectation guidelines

These guidelines are a reference for current members and prospective appointees:

• All new members must attend a three-hour virtual orientation.
• Attend regular board meetings, scheduled quarterly on Mondays during business hours. The board sets its meeting schedule each fall for the following calendar year. Meetings are usually held in Kent; however, all meetings during the COVID-19 emergency have been held by Webinar.
• Prepare for regular meetings by reading materials sent one to two weeks in advance of the scheduled meeting date. The packets take an average of two to four hours to read.
• Attend the one-day Department of Health Board, Commission, Committee conference for chairs and vice-chairs.
• Participate on disciplinary panels by telephone several times per year. These calls take less than one hour.
• Evaluate and make recommendations on disciplinary cases. Participate in calls with staff attorneys and board staff as needed to develop recommendations. Time spent on disciplinary cases depends on the nature and number of cases assigned to that board member. Each case can take from one to several hours.
• Participate on hearing panels from one to several days approximately once per year. A panel of three board members is generally used to hear disciplinary cases.
• Mentor newly appointed board members as necessary.

Total annual time commitment

• Meetings: Four days per year. Two to four hours of preparation and follow-up per meeting.
• Disciplinary calls: Eighteen to twenty per year. Preparation and attendance are usually less than one hour per call.
• Disciplinary case review: One to several hours per complaint assigned.
• Hearing panels: One to several days per year.
• Conferences: One day per year for chairs and vice-chairs

Compensation

• Members of the board are entitled to receive their travel expenses.
• Each member of the board will be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.265.
• The board is designated as a class five group for the purposes of chapter 43.03 RCW.

Become a Board, Commission or Committee Member.

Name and term expiration date of members

All meetings start at 9:00 a.m. unless noted and are subject to change

2022

• December 2 (PDF)
• September 9 (PDF)
• June 24 (PDF)
• March 4 (PDF)

2021

• December 10 (PDF)
• September 10 (PDF)
• June 11 (PDF)
• March 12 (PDF)