1899
The Oregon Association of Opticians formed. First Optician meeting held.
1905
Formed the Oregon Board of Optometry (OBO).
1906
Oregon State Association of Optometrists formed.
1910
DeKeyser Institute of Optometry in Portland. 204 Optometrist registered in OR.
1911
Optometrists fight to be called doctors.
1913
OSAO was reorganized into the Oregon Optometric Association. Known as OOA for the next 82 years.
1919
DeKeyser founded the Oregon College of Ocular Sciences.
1921
DeKeyser Institute of Optometry & Oregon College of Ocular Sciences merge to become: North Pacific College of Optometry.
1923
OOA President reiterated that we NEED OOA & AOA. Dues are established.
1936
Les Burdette is OOA President.
1936
Les Burdette is OOA President.
1938
Les Burdette becomes AOA President.
1940
WWII. Disrupted Optometry Training for a time.
1945
North Pacific College of Optometry re-opened as Pacific University College of Optometry in Forest Grove, Oregon OOA raised funds to see this happen.
1952
Jefferson Hall Groundbreaking.
1958
R. Max Peck OOPA President describes the beginning of the teachings of PUCO.
1959
OOA Hires first Executive Director & Lobbyist. First OOA Directorships & Committees are formed.
1960
Optometry was excluded under Medicare. VA’s started allowing OD’s to dilate and check pressure.
1961
Pennsylvania introduced the first DPA Bill but it never made it to the floor. It took another decade before optometrists were granted this privilege.
1972
SB 124 - covered members of private insurance have free choice of practitioner. HB 1060 - puts professional licensing boards under the newly created Health Division (under the Department of Human Resources). SB 494 - provided for licensing of opticians, never got a hearing. HB 1053 - Established Physicians’ Assistance program, Optometry specifically excluded from Law.
1975
Introduction of Landmark HB 2740: DPAs. Governor Robert Straub signed bill into LAW on May 20th, 1975.
1983 & 1985
Oregon tried twice to pass Therapeutic Bills, but failed. Neither bill made it out of the Senate committee.
1991
Governor Barbara Roberts signed SB 3591 into Law. Great Western Council of Optometry was formed and had inaugural meeting in Portland.
1993
Board of Medical Examiners fought the formulary, resulting in re-legislation in 1993, bringing the formulary under the OBO.
1994
Optometrists in Oregon were now allowed to prescribe medication topically.
1995
Oregon Legislature passes a bill allowing Optometrists to use the term “Physician”. OOA becomes OOPA.
1997
Oregon Board of Optometry (OBO) became independent.
1999
SB 16 “Direct Access to Eyecare Act”. Allowed individuals to have direct access to Optometric Physicians for emergency care.
2001
TPA Expansion - Added Orals and Injectables. “Non-Topical” This phrase allowed the OOPA to pass legislation that included pharmaceuticals to be taken orally or by injection.
2013
HB 3000 - Mandated ODE to require vision exam or screening prior to starting education program.
2015
HB 3530: Patient Choice on Non-Covered Services - This bill safeguards the patient-doctor relationship by ensuring recommended services are accessible without added expense or hassle, despite ongoing challenges from some insurance companies.
2019
SB 129: Patient Protection from Predatory Online Actors. This bill empowered the Oregon Board of Optometry to regulate online vision apps that disrupt patient-doctor relationships and compromise eye health, mandating in-person consultations and accessible patient records, thus modernizing optometry regulations in Oregon.
2019
SB 575: Comprehensive Eye Exams for Students. SB 575 strived to ensure that all children referred for a special education evaluation receive comprehensive eye exams to rule out vision and eye health problems as barriers to learning.
2019
SB 289: Vision Screening Funding via Dept. of Education: SB 289 is a continuation of the funding for the Lion’s Screening Program in the public schools and extends grants to community non-profits for mobile vision screenings. This legislation simplifies the referral process for students needing comprehensive eye exams, ensuring they receive necessary vision and eye health services.
2021
Future Practice Initiative (FPI): OOPA introduced legislation in 2021 to modernize the practice of Optometry in Oregon. HB 2541. Goal was to introduce “As Taught” Scope.
