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South Carolina · Through 2025 Session of the General Assembly

S.C. Code Ann. § 40-37-290: Purchasing, prescribing, and administering pharmaceutical agents.

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. Title 40 - PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
  2. CHAPTER 37 Optometrists

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an optometrist may purchase, possess, administer, supply, and prescribe pharmaceutical agents, including oral and topically applied medications other than Schedule I and II controlled substances as defined in Section 44-53-110 except controlled substances that have been reclassified from Schedule III to Schedule II effective on or after October 6, 2014, may continue to be purchased, possessed, administered, supplied, and prescribed by an optometrist, for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the practice of optometry, except that:

(1) when prescribing oral and topically applied medications, an optometrist is limited to these oral pharmaceutical agents: antihistamines, antimicrobial, antiglaucoma, over-the-counter drugs, and analgesics for the treatment of ocular and ocular adnexal eye disease. An optometrist may only prescribe these medications for the treatment of ocular and ocular adnexal eye disease;

(2) when prescribing medications for the treatment of ocular and ocular adnexal disease, documentation in the patient's chart and appropriate consultations and referrals must be in accordance with the standard of care provided for in Section 40-37-310(E);

(3) when prescribing analgesics, the prescription must be limited to a seven-day supply;

(4) when prescribing topical steroids, if after twenty-one days of treatment it is necessary to continue this medication, the optometrist shall communicate and collaborate with an ophthalmologist;

(5) no medications may be given by injection or intravenously.

Collected 2026-09-02T07:22:19Z. Source file · JSON

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