No more than 15 hours of self-directed learning may be credited to an optometrist in a three-year period to fulfill continuing education requirements as follows:

1. (1) Surgical/ophthalmologist observation -- one hour credit for every two hours of observation, up to four hours credit. If the location of the observation being submitted for credit is the optometrist's regular office, the optometrist must provide evidence to the board that the subject of the observation is other than the optometrist's regular practice expertise. The optometrist must provide the board with documentation signed by the ophthalmologist evidencing the observation, including a summary detailing the type of observation and the educational goal and outcome of the observation on a form provided by the board;
2. (2) Video, recorded webinars, live webinars, and teleconferences -- the optometrist must provide the board with a certificate of attendance indicating the learning format. In the event of an emergency or situation not within the control of the optometrist, and for good cause shown, the optometrist may petition the board to approve a live webinar for credit as a live presentation; and

3. (3) Correspondence courses from colleges or occupational journals that must have self-testing.

   In the event of an emergency or situation not within the control of the optometrist, and for good cause shown, a live stream presentation may receive credit as a live presentation.

Source: 24 SDR 91, effective January 6, 1998; 37 SDR 133, effective January 18, 2011; 44 SDR 99, effective December 11, 2017; 46 SDR 119, effective May 4, 2020 ; 49 SDR 12, effective August 14, 2022 .

General Authority: SDCL 36-7- 20.2 .

Law Implemented: SDCL 36-7- 15 (7), 36-7-20.2 .

Prior versions effective: 2020-05-04, 2017-12-11, 2011-01-18.