<p>Occupational regulation is pervasive in the health care sector. While intended to ensure a minimum quality of care, these restrictions may undermine access to services. In response to healthcare shortages, many US states have adopted scope-of-practice (SOP) expansions for advanced practice providers. This study focuses on SOP expansions that grant optometrists authority to perform certain laser surgical eye procedures. Leveraging geographic and temporal variation in state-level policies, we examine the impact of these SOP expansions on access to eye care. To assess first-order effects, we use data on YAG capsulotomy, a common medically necessary procedure performed on about 500,000 Medicare beneficiaries annually. We find that the number of Medicare beneficiaries receiving YAG procedures from optometrists significantly increases following SOP expansion. We also find an increase in the number of optometrists providing YAG procedures and a rise in the proportion of counties with at least one optometrist providing the procedures after the policy. But we find little evidence of substitution between optometrists and ophthalmologists in the market for YAG services. Examining broader impacts on eye care, we document a decline in eye care deserts (i.e., counties without any eye care practitioner) and a reduction in wait times for eye care after SOP expansion. These findings have broad implications for regulatory reforms aimed at improving access to care in the face of provider shortages and growing demand for medical services.</p>