Section 37:1056 - Annual renewal of license to practiceAll licensed optometrists shall annually:
(1) Pay to the board the annual renewal fee provided in R.S. 37:1058 on or before the first day of March of each year.(2)(a) Except as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, accompany the payment of the annual renewal fee with evidence satisfactory to the board of attendance and completion of twelve hours of continuing education.(b) If the licensee is authorized to diagnose and treat pathology and to use and prescribe therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, accompany the payment of the annual renewal fee with evidence satisfactory to the board of attendance and completion of sixteen hours of continuing education.(c) Half of the required hours of continuing education shall pertain to ocular and systemic pharmacology and current diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease and shall be obtained through an in-person classroom setting.(d) No licensee shall obtain more than six hours from online education sources.(e) The continuing education required by this Paragraph shall be obtained, whether in person or online, through any continuing education program that is one of the following: (i) Offered by a nationally recognized optometric association.(ii) Offered by a state affiliate of a nationally recognized optometric association or a regional council composed of state affiliates of a nationally recognized optometric association.(iii) Offered by a school or college of optometry accredited by the American Optometric Association Accreditation Council on Optometric Education.(iv) Accredited by a nationally recognized organization.(f) All licensed optometrists who have attained the age of sixty years as of March 1, 1969, shall be exempt from this continuing education requirement.Acts 1969, No. 116, §1; Acts 2018, No. 206, §3; Acts 2023, No. 194, §1.Amended by Acts 2023, No. 194,s. 1, eff. 8/1/2023.Amended by Acts 2018, No. 206,s. 3, eff. 8/1/2018.Amended by Acts 1969, No. 116, §1.