The Professional Board for Optometry and Dispensing Opticians (PBODO) wished to remind practitioners that only practitioners registered in the category of THERAPEUTICS may prescribe the full list of pharmaceuticals approved for use or prescription by optometrists.
The PBODO has three Independent Practice categories for optometrists registered under its ambit:
- Independent Practice;
- Independent Practice with Diagnostic Privileges; and
- Independent Practice with Ocular Therapeutic Privileges.
In terms of Section 17 of the Health Professions Act 56 of 1974 (HPA), as amended, practitioners are required to practise in line with their education, training, scope of practice and registration category. Therefore, an optometrist registered under Independent Practice without diagnostic or therapeutic privileges is not permitted to conduct professional acts namely, administering diagnostic pharmaceutical agents or prescribing therapeutic pharmaceutical agents. Similarly, an optometrist registered under Independent Practice with Diagnostic Privileges is not permitted to administer and/or prescribe therapeutic pharmaceutical agents.
Practitioners are reminded that it is illegal to perform professional acts that are not approved within the scope of practice, administer and/or prescribe medicines that they are not trained to administer or prescribe or that are not on the list of approved pharmaceutical agents. Practitioners who are found transgressing the regulations shall be at risk of complaints handling and investigation processes being instituted and if found guilty of an offence, may be liable for professional conduct processes as per Section 41 of the HPA, which may include suspension from the register.
Practitioners are therefore urged to practise, administer and/or prescribe medicines within the scope of practice as permitted by their category of registration.
The list of pharmaceutical agents, approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and currently reflected in the Schedules of the Medicines and Related Substances Act (Act 101 of 1965) for use by optometrists is reflected in the table below.
Abbreviations
Category of Registration:
I = independent practitioner without pharmaceutical privileges
D = independent practitioner with diagnostic pharmaceutical privileges
T = independent practitioner with therapeutic pharmaceutical privileges
Table 1: Approved Ocular Pharmaceutical Agents (Annexure 3, Medicines and related Substances Act 101 of 1965, as amended)
| Pharmaceutical Classification | Substance | Schedule | Route of Administration | Indications |
Permitted optometry category |
| Ophthalmic Preparations (other) | Fluorescein | 1 | Topical | Ocular surface staining in diagnosis of corneal conditions and fitment of hard contact lenses | I, D, T |
| Mydriatic/Cycloplegics/
|
Atropine | 3 | Topical | Cycloplegics refraction
Treatment of uveitis |
D,T |
| Tropicamide | 3 | Topical | Cycloplegic/mydriatic | D,T | |
| Cyclopentylate | 3 | Topical | Cycloplegic/mydriatic | D,T | |
| Homatropine | 3 | Topical | Cycloplegic/mydriatic | D,T | |
| Sympathomimetc | Phenylephrine | 1 | Topical
|
Minor ocular irritation | D,T |
| Local Anaesthetic | Tetracaine | 4 | Topical (Drops) | Diagnostic aide | D,T |
| Oxybuprocaine and other equivalent local anaesthetics | 4 | Topical (Drops) | Diagnostic aide | D,T | |
| Antibacterials
|
Mupirocin | 2 | Topical | Impetigo (eyelids)
External hordeolum Infected atopic dermatitis |
T, |
| Chloramphenicol | 4 | Topical (Drops or Ointment) | Bacterial conjunctivitis
Anterior blepharitis Posterior blepharitis |
T | |
| Tetracycline | 4 | Topical and oral | Chlamydial conjunctivitis, blepharitis, trachoma | T | |
| Erythromycin | 4 | Topical | Chlamydial conjunctivitis, blepharitis, impetigo (not as 1st line treatment) | T | |
| Doxycycline | 4 | Oral | Trachoma | T | |
| Azithromycin | 4 | Oral | Trachoma | T | |
| Antiviral and
Antifungal |
Acyclovir | 4 | Topical | Herpes simplex blepharitis,
Conjunctivitis Epithelial keratitis |
T |
| Antihistamine/
Vasoconstrictor/ Mast cell stabilisers |
Oxymetazoline | 2 | Topical (Drops) | Minor ocular irritation
Red eye |
T |
| Antazoline | 2 | Topical | Allergic and atopic conjunctivitis | T | |
| Tetrazoline | 2 | Topical | Minor ocular irritation
Red eye |
T | |
| Sodium Cromoglycate | 2 | Topical (Drops) | Vernal Kerato conjunctivitis | T, | |
| Cetririzine, loratadine, levocetirizine | 2 | Oral | Atopic dermatitis involving the eyelids | T, | |
| Analgesic and anti-inflammatory | Paracetamol | 1 | Oral | Mild Pain | T, |
| Ibuprofen | 1 | Oral | Mild to Moderate Pain | T, | |
| Steroidal Anti Inflammatory | Hydrocortisone | 2 | Topical | Dermatitis
Eczema atopic/ seborrheic eczema |
T |
| Anti-Glaucoma | Pilocarpine | 3 | Topical (Drops) | Acute glaucoma | T |
| Timolol | 3 | Topical (drops) | Acute glaucoma | T | |
| Betaxolol | 3 | Topical (Drops) | Treatment of open-angle glaucoma in adults
|
T | |
| Levobunolol | 3 | Topical (Drops) | Treatment of open-angle glaucoma in adults
|
T | |
| Brimonidine | 3 | Topical (Drops) | Treatment of open-angle glaucoma in adults
|
T | |
| Antibiotics | Fuscidic acid | 4 | Topical (Drops or Ointment) | Blepharitis and stye | T |
| Neomycin | 4 | Topical (Drops or Ointment) | Blepharitis | T | |
| Bacitracin | 4 | Ointment | Blepharitis | T | |
| Polymyxin B | 4 | Ointment | Blepharitis | T | |
| Prostaglandin Analogues (PGAs) | Latanoprost,
Travoprost, Bimatoprost |
3, 4 | Drops | Glaucoma | T |
Click here to view the list of pharmaceutical agents that are approved for use or prescription by optometrists; also available on the PBODO web page.
The PBODO strongly emphasises that ONLY practitioners registered in the category of THERAPEUTICS may prescribe the full list of pharmaceuticals.
Click here to view the guidelines on the scheduling of medicines and substances; also available on the SAHPRA website.
Last Updated on 15 September 2025 by HPCSA Corporate Affairs