Past President Timeline
Explore a brief history of optometry in Washington State and the OPW Past Presidents who advocated and advanced the profession.
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YEAR & PRESIDENT
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MILESTONES
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| Pre-1981 | Washington O.D.s perform “drugless” routine eye exams, prescribe contact lenses, eyeglasses, and vision therapy; no drops, no disease treatment. Medicare did not recognize optometrist for payment. The medical bureaus owned the insurance plans and barred optometrist from panel participation. |
| 1981 Dr. Steven Jaffe |
Washington State legislature granted O.D.s the authority to use diagnostic, topically applied drugs to aid in the diagnosis of diseases. |
| 1984 Dr. Ken White |
Anti-Trust suit won against the medical bureaus. |
| 1986 Dr. Jim Hennig |
PCLI (Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute) was formed and Dr. Cynthia Murrill was hired as the first O.D. to the newly formed PCLI co-management referral center. |
| 1988 Dr. Mark Cohn |
The Board of Optometry determined that O.D.s can provide all pre-operative and post-operative care for surgery patients. Only 3 years after PCLI formed. |
| 1989 Dr. Mike McCowan |
Washington State Legislature granted O.D.s the authority to use topically applied therapeutic drugs to treat eye disease. Dr. Ron Bussinger and Dr. Steve Jaffe were the tip of the spear on this legislation. Dr. Jeff Forrey worked in support of Steve, Ron, and our lobbyist. |
| 1990 Dr. Joe Pfeifer |
The Board of Optometry determined that O.D.s can order lab tests and remove all foreign bodies from the eye. |
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1991
Dr. Gary Linton |
The Board of Optometry determined that O.D.s can treat lesions of the eyelid and they can call themselves “ Optometric Physicians”. WOA (Washington Optometric Association) became WAOP (Washington Association of Optometric Physicians).
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| 1993 Dr. Cyndi Murrill |
The Board of Optometry determined that O.D.s can insert lacrimal plugs into the tear ducts of the lids.The Board of Medical Examiners refuses to hear the WSMA’s complaint of optometry practicing medicine, as the Board of Medical Examiners has no authority over the practice of optometry. |
| 1994 Dr. Milt Herman |
Washington State Legislature passes the Consumer Access to Vision Care Act after heavy modification achieved by WAOP. The Washington Academy of Eye Physicians & Surgeons (WAEPS) is told by Thurston County Superior Court that they have no “standing” to bring action against the Board of Optometry. |
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1996
Dr. Craig Melhoff |
Legislation introduced to authorize full prescriptive authority to O.D.s.
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1997
Dr. Joe Sifferman |
Legislation is introduced to expand the definition of ‘optometry’ to include any procedure included in the curriculum of recognized optometry schools as approved by the Board of Optometry.
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1999
Dr. Ed Kosnoski |
Legislation to allow opticians to refract is defeated.
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2003
Dr. Brett Bence |
Washington State Legislature grants O.D.s prescriptive authority for oral drugs. Rich Ryan was instrumental in establishing rules from the Board of Optometry while working with the pharmacy board. WAOP (Washington Association of Optometric Physicians) became OPW (Optometric Physicians of Washington).
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2005
Dr. Lori Youngman |
Washington State Legislature passes legislation requiring all O.D.s to be licensed at the highest level by 2011. Non-DPA and Non-TPA doctors were given 5 years to gain full prescriptive authority.
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2009
Dr. Curtis Ono |
Washington State Legislature allows O.D.s to perform and donate visual screening services in schools.
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2015
Dr. Don Shute |
Legislature votes to approve Optometric Physicians to refer to physical and occupational therapists.
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2016
Dr. Phil Williams |
Washington State Legislature passes a bill requiring students to be screened in both near and distance visual acuity.
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2017
Dr. Paul Jensen |
Approval by the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission for Gabapentin and other analgesics for post-herpetic neuralgia.
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2023
Dr. Dale Tosland
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Washington State Legislature passes a bill to authorize O.D.s to perform several non-laser advanced procedures such as Lesion Removal and injections as well as expanding prescribing authority to include oral steroids and topical or injectable anesthesia.
Doctors David Stanfield and Mike Sirott did much work to make this happen. |
For a complete list of OPW Past Presidents, click here.
