1. A. Except for an optometrist who qualifies under §C or D of this regulation, the Board shall certify an optometrist licensed to practice in Maryland as qualified to use TPAs if the licensed optometrist submits to the Board evidence satisfactory to the Board that the optometrist:

   1. (1) Has successfully completed at least 110 hours of Board-approved TPA education before applying for certification to use TPAs;
   2. (2) Has successfully passed the National Board of Examiners in Optometry's (NBEO) exam, including the Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD) Examination and clinical exam sections; and
   3. (3) Is currently certified by the Board to administer topical ocular DPAs.

2. B. The Board may consider pharmacology courses that an optometrist successfully completed during a course of study at an accredited school of optometry recognized by the Board when calculating the 110 hours of Board-approved TPA education required under §§A(1) and D(1) of this regulation. If accepted by the Board, then each:

   1. (1) Semester credit hour will equal 15 hours of TPA education; and
   2. (2) Quarter credit hour will equal 10 hours of TPA education.

3. C. The Board shall certify an optometrist who has graduated from an accredited school of optometry within 3 years before applying for certification to use TPAs if the optometrist:

   1. (1) Submits proof of current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to the Board; and
   2. (2) Completes the process to become certified to use TPAs within 3 years of the date of graduation from an accredited school of optometry.

4. D. If an optometrist who has graduated on or after July 1, 2005, from an accredited school of optometry recognized by the Board, is not certified within 3 years of graduation, the Board shall certify the optometrist to use TPAs if the optometrist:

   1. (1) Has successfully completed at least 110 hours of Board-approved TPA education before applying for certification to use TPAs;
   2. (2) Has successfully passed the National Board of Examiners in Optometry's (NBEO) exam, including the Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD) Examination and clinical exam sections; and
   3. (3) Submits proof of current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to the Board.
5. E. The credit hours taken for initial certification in TPAs may be included as part of the hours of continuing education required for biennial license renewal.

Authority: Health Occupations Article, §§11-101, 11-205, 11-302—11-309, 11-401.1, 11-404, and 11-404.1, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date:

Regulations .01—.08 adopted as an emergency provision effective May 17, 1996 (23:12 Md. R. 867); adopted permanently effective October 21, 1996 (23:21 Md. R. 1467)

Regulation .01B amended effective October 19, 2009 (36:21 Md. R. 1591)

Regulations .02 amended as an emergency provision effective December 7, 2001 (28:26 Md. R. 2270); amended permanently effective March 4, 2002 (29:4 Md. R. 417)

Regulation .02 amended effective October 19, 2009 (36:21 Md. R. 1591); May 20, 2019 (46:10 Md. R. 488)

Regulations .06 amended effective October 15, 2001 (28:20 Md. R. 1783)

Regulation .06A, C amended effective October 19, 2009 (36:21 Md. R. 1591)

Regulations .08 repealed effective October 15, 2001 (28:20 Md. R. 1783)

Chapter revised effective November 15, 2021 (48:23 Md. R. 980)

Regulation .02 amended effective July 7, 2025 (52:13 Md. R. 656)