News

Plano contact lenses can only be sold by or under the supervision of a registered practitioner who must be on the premises when the lenses are supplied.

Changes to professional guidance on contact lens fitting supply issued by the College of Optometrists and ABDO last week (News, February 23) confirm that, unlike powered lenses which can be sold by or under the general direction of an optometrist, CLO or medical practitioner who need not be present, sales of plano or 'zero-powered' contact lenses must be directly supervised.

The supervisor must be on the premises, aware of the procedure and in a position to intervene if necessary.

The professional bodies cite the case of the GOC v Vision Direct (1989) which held that the supervisor must be able to exercise his or her professional skill and judgement as a clinician.

'It does not mean supervision by someone performing a purely clerical or even management function, even if the person who is performing that function happens to be an optometrist or contact lens optician,' they say.

The guidance lays down detailed protocols, including the requirement to check that the specification is current and that the supply of lenses will not be for a longer period of time than the expiry of the specification.

However, the guidance also makes clear that there is no legal requirement to give a patient a written specification after fitting a patient with a zero-powered contact lens, saying only that it is in the patient's best interest to do so.

For powered lenses, new guidance is included on lens substitution. If the supplier is unable to supply lenses that exactly meet the specification, refitting is required before an alternative lens is supplied.

● www.college-optometrists.org

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