This legislation updates outdated language of the licensing law for optometrists regarding licensure requirements, penalties, advertising provisions, and references to certain agencies. The legislation also implements a uniform system of licensing for optometrists, preventing older license types from being issued to new applicants. In doing this, patients will be able to rely on the fact that any optometrist they see has the same level of qualifications and practice authority.

The current licensing system is administratively burdensome for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, confusing for new optometrists and, generally not helpful to the general public who may not know which license type the optometrist they are being seen by possesses.