Optometrist suspended over laser safety claims

John Margetts, an optometrist based in Exeter, has been suspended from the GOC register for a period of 12 months following claims he made about refractive surgery.

A GOC Fitness to Practise Committee found his fitness to practise was impaired after failure to provide sufficient or correct information about the risks of laser eye surgery.

This included ‘misleading and dishonest statements about laser eye surgery, including that laser eye surgery is 100 percent safe’.

Committee chair Rachel O’Connell added: ‘The committee finds that Mr Margetts’ actions fell seriously below the standards expected of a registrant. He has breached fundamental tenets of the profession including honesty, the need to put patients first and the need to provide them with the means of giving informed consent.