Big-box stores seeking share of eye business

Oklahomans will have at least one more controversial state question to vote on in November, and it may not be recreational marijuana. Then again, it could be recreational marijuana, along with something else.
One thing is for sure; it will be something else, because supporters of an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution that would allow optometrists to practice in big box stores like Walmart have already collected twice as many signatures as they need to get it on the November ballot. It will appear as State Question 793.
Flush from their success in getting medical marijuana passed last month, proponents of recreational marijuana – despite assurances that the June vote on medical marijuana was just that and nothing more – are also busy collecting signatures in an effort to get the recreational form on the November ballot too.
Meanwhile, eye doctors are beating the bushes to inform Oklahomans of how big-box optometry might affect them and their patients. Joel Robison, chief executive officer for the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians, spoke on the topic at Wednesday’s meeting of the Clinton Rotary Club.
“Health care should be delivered in health centers,” said Robison. “You can get cheap glasses anywhere. If you want cheap glasses, there are places to get them. Walmart is using our constitution . . . to make more money for themselves.”
If it succeeds, he contends the quality of vision care in Oklahoma would decline. 
Robison admitted that he is not a doctor himself, but he said he’s speaking for doctors. At Wednesday’s meeting he was a guest of Dr. Pat Day, O.D., who offices in Clinton and has for many years.
“They say they just want to get patients in the door and sell ’em something else,” said Dr. Day. “The legislature makes laws . . . They’re wanting to change the constitution; they’re trying to buy Humana now.” Humana of course is one of the nation’s larger health insurers.
“We believe patients are patients and customers are customers,” said Robison. “We don’t believe medical care should be something you go to the store and pick off the shelf.”
Robison passed out copies of S.Q. 793 and said there is one sentence in it that is particularly disturbing to him. It’s one that says, “It (793) does not prohibit optometrists and opticians from agreeing with a mercantile establishment to limit their practice.”
“It looks pretty benign,” he said. But he contended that would be giving Walmart, one of the largest promoters of S.Q. 793, authority to tell eye doctors what they can and can’t do in Walmart stores.
“You go in thinking you’re going to get the same exam Dr. Day gets to do in his practice,” said Robison, adding though that won’t necessarily be true. The store’s goal, he said, will be “selling their glasses because that’s where they’ll make their money,” and the store will be able to set the rules to assure that.
“They’re going to allow a corporate entity to tell doctors what they can do and can’t do,” he said.
Currently, he said there’s a state Board of Optometry that sets the guidelines for vision doctors and its goal is “to protect patients in Oklahoma.” Robison pointed out that Dr. Day is a member of that board.
Oklahoma presently is one of only three states in the nation that does not allow optometrists to practice in retail establishments. Robison contended that for patients, that’s a good thing.
In Oklahoma, for instance, he said licensed optometrists are able to do laser surgeries and write prescriptions and in those other 47 they can’t. With good reason, in his opinion. “Laser eye surgery should not be done in the same facility where raw meat and dog food are handled,” he said. 
Incidentally, the other states that are like Oklahoma are two of the smallest, Delaware and Rhode Island.
Robison also pointed out that what proponents of S.Q. 793 are proposing is a change in the Oklahoma Constitution, which means that if in the future, the Board of Optometry wanted to change something in the bill, it would require another vote of the people.
Another reason he feels people should vote against S.Q. 793 is a fear that it will have an effect similar to eliminating hospitals in smaller, more distant towns.
“We could wind up with eye doctors all in super centers around the state,” he said. “You might have to drive 30, 40 or 50 miles to get care.”
Supporters of S.Q. 793 say the number of signatures collected to get it on the ballot – over 250,000 when only 123,725 were required – is an indication of how much the people of Oklahoma want it. But Robison said proponents paid several hundred thousand dollars to get people to go out and collect those signatures.