(a) For purposes of this section, “actively engaged in the practice of optometry” means the treatment of one or more patients by a licensee during any given registration period, and “registration period” means the twelve-month period for which a license has been renewed in accordance with § 19a-88.

(b) Licenses issued under this chapter shall be renewed annually in accordance with the provisions of § 19a-88.

(c) (1) Except as provided in this section, a licensee who is actively engaged in the practice of optometry shall earn a minimum of twenty hours of continuing education each registration period. The subject matter for continuing education shall reflect the professional needs of the licensee in order to meet the health care needs of the public, and shall include (A) not less than six hours in any of the following areas: Pathology, detection of diabetes and ocular treatment; and (B) not less than six hours in treatment as it applies to the use of ocular agents-T.

(2) Coursework shall be provided in the following manner: (A) Not less than ten hours shall be earned through direct, live instruction that the licensee physically attends; (B) not more than ten hours shall be earned through synchronous online education with opportunities for live interaction; (C) not more than five hours shall be earned through asynchronous online education, distance learning or home study; and (D) not more than six hours shall be in practice management. For the purposes of this subdivision, “synchronous online education” means live online classes that are conducted in real time and “asynchronous online education” means a program where the instructor, learner and other participants are not engaged in the learning process at the same time, there is no real-time interaction between participants and instructors and the educational content is created and made available for later consumption.

(3) Qualifying continuing education activities include, but are not limited to, courses offered or approved by the Council on Optometric Practitioner Education of the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry, the American Optometric Association or state or local optometry associations and societies that are affiliated with the American Optometric Association, a hospital or other health care institution, a school or college of optometry or other institution of higher education accredited or recognized by the Council on Optometric Practitioner Education or the American Optometric Association, a state or local health department, or a national, state or local medical association.

(d) Each licensee applying for license renewal pursuant to § 19a-88, except a licensee applying for a license renewal for the first time, shall sign a statement attesting that he or she has satisfied the continuing education requirements described in subsection (c) of this section on a form prescribed by the Department of Public Health. Each licensee shall retain records of attendance or certificates of completion that demonstrate compliance with the continuing education requirements described in subsection (c) of this section for not less than three years following the date on which the continuing education was completed or the license was renewed. Each licensee shall submit such records to the department for inspection not later than forty-five days after a request by the department for such records. A licensee who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection may be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to § 20-133.

(e) In individual cases involving medical disability or illness, the Commissioner of Public Health may grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements or an extension of time within which to fulfill the requirements of this section to any licensee, provided the licensee submits to the department an application for waiver or extension of time on a form prescribed by the commissioner, along with a certification by a licensed physician, a licensed physician assistant or a licensed advanced practice registered nurse of the disability or illness and such other documentation as may be required by the commissioner. The commissioner may grant a waiver or extension for a period not to exceed one registration period, except that the commissioner may grant additional waivers or extensions if the medical disability or illness upon which a waiver or extension is granted continues beyond the period of the waiver or extension and the licensee applies for an additional waiver or extension.

(f) A licensee who is not actively engaged in the practice of optometry, in any form, during a registration period shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements, provided the licensee submits a notarized application for exemption on a form prescribed by the commissioner before the end of the registration period. A licensee who is exempt under the provisions of this subsection may not engage in the practice of optometry until the licensee has met the continuing education requirements of this section.

(g) A licensee whose license has become void pursuant to § 19a-88 and who applies to the department for reinstatement of such license shall submit evidence of successful completion of twenty contact hours of continuing education within the one-year period immediately preceding the application for reinstatement.