12/14/2025
Take a look at Dr. Ryan Smith, President-Elect of the KY Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons speaking to Spectrum TV about how shocking it has been to learn some optometrists have been practicing without passing their basic exam and without being appropriately licensed.
KAEPS is committed to making sure optometrists are appropriately credentialed and patients are getting the best care they deserve.
Kentucky’s optometry licensing process under fire following national review
BY Crystal Tisme Kentucky
PUBLISHED 7:00 PM ET Dec. 12, 2025
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky’s optometry licensing process is facing scrutiny after a national review revealed that 21 optometrists were issued licenses without passing one or more required sections of the three-part national exam, according to the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.
What You Need To Know
21 Kentucky optometrists were licensed without passing all required parts of the national three-part exam, according to the national testing board
The attorney general said the optometry board violated state law by waiving exam requirements without going through the proper regulatory process
Ophthalmologists said the lapse raises concerns about training standards and patient safety, emphasizing the importance of full credentialing
Lawmakers plan to hold a hearing in January to determine whether the affected licenses are valid and what oversight changes may be needed
The discovery was made by the national testing board and later addressed by Kentucky officials.
In October, Attorney General Russell Coleman issued an opinion stating that while the board may substitute a Canadian exam for a portion of the U.S. test, it violated state law by waiving testing requirements without going through the proper regulatory process.
That finding leaves open a major question: Are those optometrists properly licensed?
Dr. Ryan Smith, a Lexington ophthalmologist and the president-elect of the Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, said the news came as a surprise.
“I was shocked to hear that there are some that are not passing the required tests to be licensed,” Smith said. “It’s really important for Kentuckians that they know they have safe and qualified medical eye care.”
Smith said the eight-plus years of schooling, specialized training and testing he went through are all necessary to provide adequate patient care.
“That’s the point, to get all that training,” Smith said. “When we’re dealing with someone’s most precious sense, their sight, we need to take the best care of patients that we can.”
State Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, has announced plans for a January hearing to determine what happened, how the licensing decisions were made and what steps may be needed to restore transparency.
Smith said the review is a necessary step.
“Looking at making sure the appropriate credentialing is occurring for our optometry colleagues is a great way to provide transparency for the public,” he said.
Spectrum News reached out to the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners with questions about the affected licenses. The board has yet to respond.
Ophthalmologists said the lapse raises concerns about training standards and patient safety, emphasizing the importance of full credentialing.
