Therapeutic pharmaceutical utilization by military optometrists

The Air Force, Army, and Navy have instituted regulations that authorize optometrists to use therapeutic pharmaceutical agents (TPAs). A survey of clinical optometrists on active duty was conducted to evaluate the impact of these regulations on military optometry. The results indicate that the majority of optometrists support the regulations and are utilizing TPAs to treat a wide variety of ocular disorders. However, the survey also found a number of optometrists in each service who were dissatisfied with certain aspects of the regulations. Some Air Force and Navy optometrists expressed concern that their regulations did not allow access to TPAs which they felt qualified to use. Some Army respondents felt that their regulation was unduly influenced by local policy and was not an equitable means of granting therapeutic privileges. These concerns suggest that a reevaluation of the therapeutic regulations might be required in the future.