A consultation was launched by the General Optical Council (GOC) on proposed changes to the policy on verification of contact lens specifications during sale and a definition of aftercare.
The GOC proposed that ‘it will not enforce the requirement to verify a copy of a contact lens specification where a sale of prescription contact lenses is made under the general direction of a GOC registrant (or registered medical practitioner).’
The statement has been drafted following the GOC’s call for evidence of the Opticians Act 1989, which took place in 2022.
GOC director of regulatory strategy Steve Brooker said: ‘We consulted on the need to verify a copy of a contact lens specification and define aftercare as part of our call for evidence.
‘Stakeholders told us that it is now commonplace for contact lens specifications to be provided as electronic copies, for example, a scan of an original document, which we believe should be accepted. What’s more, it can be difficult to verify a specification with the exact person who signed it, which can create inefficiencies that are then passed on to patients as costs.’
The Opticians Act 1989 (section 27) outlined that to be supplied with prescription contact lenses an in-date copy of the contact lens specification, issued during a contact lens fitting, must be provided and if the original copy cannot be provided, then the supplier must verify the specification copy with the original provider.
However, the GOC’s draft statement said it does not ‘consider that there is sufficient evidence of risk of harm to the public, or a wider public interest, in prosecuting sellers who do not verify a copy of an in-date contact lens specification provided that the copy of the specification is clear, does not contain any obvious errors and has not obviously been tampered with.’ Therefore, the requirement will not be enforced.
This came with the exception, where an individual has not provided either the original or a copy of the original specification, then the GOC will continue to expect sellers to verify the particulars of a contact lens specification.
Updating definitions
A definition of aftercare following the sale of prescription contact lenses under general direction was also updated. Section 27 of the Act did not provide details on how the seller must make arrangements for the buyer ‘to receive aftercare’.
The GOC’s draft statement said aftercare should include: instructions and information on the inserting, wearing and removing of the contact lenses, on the cleaning and storing of the contact lenses; signs or symptoms the patient should look out for; details of a contact if they have problems with the contact lenses; and the importance of having regular contact lens check-ups.
Brooker said: ‘When it comes to aftercare, stakeholders told us it should include information for patients on how to wear and care for lenses, and advice on how to identify signs of infection or harm and what to do in this event.
‘In drawing up this definition, we also reviewed guidance by the professional bodies and used elements that we consider are proportionate and would deliver appropriate public protection. We believe our definition provides sufficient detail to ensure the public is protected and so that it is clear what sellers of contact lenses are obliged to do to meet their legal obligations.’
The GOC consulted with stakeholders to ensure that there are no unintended consequences of this statement or risks that cannot be mitigated against.
Carolyn Ruston, policy director at the Association of Optometrists, welcomed the opportunity to respond to the consultation before changes were implemented.
‘We are pleased to see the GOC is actively engaging with the profession on the issue of supply and patient aftercare for contact lenses. We can see that the consultation directly responds to feedback the AOP expressed as part of the GOC’s wider call for evidence on the Opticians Act in 2022,’ she said.
The AOP recently published guidance on the rules and regulations around fitting and supply of contact lenses in its safe practice series.
The Federation of Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians also said it will analyse and respond to this consultation on members’ behalf.
The consultation will last for eight weeks, closing on October 24, 2023, and the GOC asked for responses to be sent via its online survey at bit.ly/3P3J2iL or email consultations@optical.org.