South Dakota Board of Examiners in Optometry

The South Dakota Board of Examiners in Optometry is responsible for licensing and regulating optometrists, ensuring the highest standards of competency and ethical practice to protect the eye health and well-being of the residents of South Dakota.

The mission of the South Dakota Board of Examiners in Optometry is to protect the public by ensuring competent visual care, licensure of qualified applicants, inspection of optometric offices, and enforcing updated statutes, rules, and regulations, including consumer complaint review and processing.

Find Administrative Rule and Codified Laws on optometry through the South Dakota Legislature.

View ARSD 20:50  View SDCL Optometrists  View SDCL Optometric Corporations

 

Difference Between Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Opticians

An optometrist (also called doctor of optometry) is a healthcare practitioner trained to diagnose signs of ocular, neurological, and systemic health problems and to treat vision disorders. A properly certified optometrist may treat eye diseases and injuries, prescribe topical drugs and perform other procedures such as foreign body removal. All optometrists may prescribe glasses and contact lenses.

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor trained in eye surgery and eye disease. Ophthalmologists may prescribe glasses, contact lenses, and perform eye surgery such as cataract surgery. The South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners licenses and regulates ophthalmologists.

An optician is an eyewear provider trained to select, manufacture, and dispense spectacles. They may sell or deliver contact lenses upon a written prescription by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Opticians are not licensed or regulated in South Dakota.

Deni Martin, Executive Secretary
PO Box 513
Wall, SD 57790
Phone: 605-279-2244
sdoptboard@goldenwest.net