The Board shall consider it unprofessional conduct for a licensee to provide for a patient care that is less than the generally accepted standard of care. This standard of care shall include, but not be limited to, providing certain minimum testing for the patient when performing a comprehensive eye exam. A comprehensive eye examination shall include any examination wherein a prescription for glasses or contact lenses, or necessity thereof, is determined. Minimum testing for a comprehensive eye exam shall include a case history, determination of refractive error, binocular vision evaluation, ophthalmoscopy, evaluation of health of external eye and adjacent structures, tonometry or other appropriate glaucoma testing, and such other tests as are necessary under the circumstances. All such tests, including case history, shall be documented in the patient record. Failure to perform and document said minimum testing during a comprehensive eye exam shall constitute failure to meet standard of care. Patient records shall include documentation of subjective findings, objective findings, assessment, and plan of treatment for each patient visit. Failure to include such documentation shall constitute a failure to meet the standard of care.

Author: Wallace D. Mills

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §34-22-23(17).

Editor’s Note: Previous Chapter 630-­X-­12 Time Within Which Licensing Must Be Completed ­­ Rules 630-­X-­12-­.01 "Time Prescribed For Completion Of Requirements," 630-­X-­12-­.02 "Failure To Complete Requirement Within Prescribed Time" filed September 13, 1982. Repealed: Filed July 9, 1990.

History: Filed July 9, 1990. Amended: Filed December 16, 1991. Amended: Published September 30, 2025; effective November 14, 2025.