Vote No on HB 213
Tomorrow (Wednesday February 18, 2026), the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee will consider HB 213, legislation that would allow non-physicians to perform certain intraocular laser procedures and place those procedures outside the Medical Practice Act.
Committee information is available here:
https://www.nmlegis.gov/Committee/Standing_Committee?CommitteeCode=SJC
As a practicing cataract surgeon, I believe it is important to explain—clearly and respectfully—why many physicians across New Mexico and the country are concerned.
These Are Surgical Procedures on the Human Eye
Procedures such as:
- YAG capsulotomy
- Laser trabeculoplasty
- Laser peripheral iridotomy
are surgical interventions inside the eye. While they may be performed in an outpatient setting, they are not routine vision care. They require:
- Medical school training
- A full internship year
- Three or more years of ophthalmology residency
- Ongoing surgical experience
- Training in diagnosing and managing systemic and ocular complications
Complications can include intraocular pressure spikes, inflammation, retinal detachment, bleeding, corneal damage, and vision loss. Managing these complications requires the ability to diagnose complex disease and treat the whole patient—not just the eye.
Training Standards Matter
HB 213 would allow these procedures after short courses and limited proctoring, which is not equivalent to comprehensive medical and surgical training.
The issue is not about professional rivalry. It is about ensuring that surgical procedures are performed by professionals trained to manage the full spectrum of complications, including medical emergencies.
Medical Oversight Matters
Equally concerning, the bill would move oversight of these surgical procedures outside the Medical Practice Act and away from physician regulatory structures.
Surgery should remain under medical board oversight, where there are established standards for training, credentialing, peer review, and patient safety.
Access to Care Should Not Come at the Expense of Safety
Improving access to care is an important goal. However, expanding surgical privileges without equivalent medical training does not address the root causes of access challenges and introduces new risks for patients.
New Mexico patients deserve both access and safety.
A Broad Coalition Supports Patient Safety
Ophthalmologists, physicians, and multiple medical organizations have expressed concern about HB 213 because it changes:
- Who performs surgery
- How they are trained
- Who regulates those procedures
These are significant changes that deserve careful scrutiny.
A Respectful Request to Legislators
I respectfully ask members of the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee to place patient safety first and oppose HB 213 in its current form.
Eye surgery—no matter how it is delivered—should remain under physician-led care with appropriate medical training and oversight.
Patients trust us with their vision. We must ensure that trust is protected.
Update February 19, 2026 – Patients win!
Great news! Ophthalmology secured an important patient-safety victory in New Mexico.
House Bill 213—legislation that would have allowed optometrists to perform YAG capsulotomy, SLT, and LPI—did not advance out of the Senate Judiciary Committee before the close of the legislative session on Feb. 19.
This outcome reflects the outstanding leadership of the New Mexico Academy of Ophthalmology, working in close partnership with the AAO, AMA, and specialty societies and colleagues across the country. Their coordinated advocacy protected the high standards of surgical eye care that our patients expect and deserve—for the second consecutive year.
With gratitude to everyone who contributed to this effort.
Ravi D. Goel, MD is a comprehensive ophthalmologist, cataract & refractive surgeon in Cherry Hill, NJ. He is an Instructor at the Wills Eye Hospital.
