Atlantic Mocks Beshear For Signing Optometrist Bill

The Atlantic magazine has taken note of Gov. Steve Beshear signing a bill that allows Kentucky optometrists to perform surgery. Once again, a Kentucky governor has made us all look like yahoos.

The Atlantic notes that only Oklahoma -- and now Kentucky -- allow non-surgeons to perform eye surgery. The magazine therefore advises,

If you need laser eye surgery in the state of Kentucky, or a little cosmetic work around the eyelids, it now behooves you to ask your prospective surgeon the following question before signing the operative consent form:

"Say doc, did you go to medical school?"

Atlantic reporter Ford Vox also had some pointed questions for Beshear about his rationale in signing the bill -- that it was necessary to provide "access" to eye surgery for rural Kentuckians:

Naturally I wanted to know whether the governor would choose the care of an ophthalmologist or an optometrist should he need an eye surgery now in the optometry's purview. Maybe he'll simply pick the geographically closest provider, like he expects the disadvantaged Appalachian citizens of his state will do? He didn't answer that one.

H/t: Joe Arnold