DoH seeks consultation on plano contact lenses

The General Optical Council approved a submission for this regulation and new rules regarding direct supply of contact lenses (News, November 24 2000) with the aim that they would be passed into law this year. It was hoped that the GOC's decisions could be 'fast-tracked', especially as the Department had written to its chairman Rosie Varley in September telling her that ministers had expressed concern about 'risks to patients' from mail-order and internet supply. However, Jerry Read, head of ophthalmic services at the DoH, commented this week that the Department believed it should run its own consultation with the profession on these two areas. 'We're sensitive to professional worries about these matters,' he said, 'but we feel we should run our own consultation before any change is made to legislation.' He said he understood there would be concern about any further delay to these proposals, and admitted that it was decisions such as these that made being in government difficult. New plano lens regulations are understood to be causing the Government particular concern. 'It will probably deprive some of these contact lens wholesalers of their livelihood because when only registered opticians are allowed to sell plano lenses they'll buy from the same suppliers who supply them with prescription lenses.' It is understood that the Government is anxious not to place too many regulatory barriers to business. Mr Read said he believed the consultation could take place 'pretty quickly' and would take into account health risks regarding contact lenses.