Big retailers petition for in-store eye care services

National chain retailers are preparing a statewide campaign that could put optometrists and eyeglass services inside Oklahoma’s big box stores.

Most states allow retailers to set aside space inside their stores for eye exams, but Oklahoma requires a doctor’s office or eyeglass retailer to have a separate entrance to the outside. That law prevents a customer from visiting the optometrist and then walking a few steps, inside the same store, to fill his or her prescription.

“Basically, we are committed to giving Oklahoma consumers more choices, better prices, convenience, because we think that the public benefits when consumers have more choices and you have more competition,” said Gwendolyn Caldwell, a lobbyist with Oklahomans for Consumer Freedom.

Caldwell and another lobbyist with the group filed initial paperwork to start collecting signatures. Oklahomans for Consumer Freedom is a Wal-Mart-backed group that Caldwell said raised about $5 million last year for another state question that will soon let retailers sell wine and stronger beer.

The eye care petition would amend the Oklahoma Constitution.

Lawmakers have resisted efforts to adopt similar changes in the law. Last year, a bill introduced by state Sen. Kyle Loveless never saw a vote. He said consumers will like the idea.

“A lot of (optical) retail business leaves the state because they want to pick up less expensive eyewear,” said Loveless, R-Oklahoma City. “The idea behind it is this eyewear is just as good here as other states. I believe the marketplace in Oklahoma can handle it.”

Any challenge to the petition would likely come from optometrists

and smaller stores that sell eyeglasses, who would have to compete with national chain stores for business. According to an industry survey, the top 50 optical retailers across the country earned $12 billion last year inside stores like Wal-Mart, Sears, Target, J.C. Penney and Costco.

Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy are both experimenting with optical services.

Joel Robinson, executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians, said the proposed law could lead to ethical conflicts and pressure on medical providers working inside the retail stores. He also said small-town providers could get pushed out of business because of the competition.

Oklahoma once allowed eye exams in department stores, but the law changed decades ago.

“If this state question were to be successful, then optometry is going to be back under the thumb of the big retailer again, determining what patient care is given and determining what can be sold,” said Robinson.

For worries like that, opponents can see how the arrangement has worked in other states. Caldwell said there’s no evidence that it negatively impacts patient care.

“We believe that has been addressed in the 47 other states that have this, and these problems have not been widespread,” she said.

Caldwell said the gathering of signatures could begin soon.