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As most Ohio optometrists already know, House Bill 509 was signed into law on January 5, 2023 and brought many changes to the administration of optometric licenses in the Buckeye State. Chief among them is a two-year renewal cycle that resets January 1 of odd-numbered years. However, another change is not to be overlooked – new requirements for continuing education hours for the maintenance of licensure. Now, 50 hours of continuing education are required each two-year licensure cycle. Notably, 20 of those hours must be related to pharmacology, up to 16 hours may be from participation in grand rounds or observation of surgery, and another 16 hours may be volunteer work. Four hours may be related to practice management.
Online continuing education proliferated during the COVID pandemic. Many doctors came to appreciate the flexibility and comfort of fulfilling their continuing education requirements from home or from the office. Virtual continuing education also provided the opportunity for optometrists to receive instruction from clinicians and scientists from around the world, potentially exposing them to new ideas. Given these benefits of online continuing education, Ohio optometrists may now receive up to 30 hours of virtual continuing education during each two-year licensure renewal cycle. The Ohio Vision Professionals Board may periodically adjust this cap of online hours to address the needs of the optometric community.
The Ohio State University College of Optometry is committed to meeting the increased demand for virtual continuing education by providing a regularly updated online library of engaging continuing education courses that focus on topics that impact optometrists and their patients.
The library is intended to compliment the college’s robust in-person continuing education events, which include the Summer Continuing Education Conference, the Winter Continuing Education Conference, and the Binocular Vision and Pediatrics Forum, among others. As the optometric world constantly changes, Ohio State will be there to meet the continuing education needs of Buckeye optometrists everywhere.
