After any vision check, you have the right to get a copy of your prescription from your eye professional, whether you request it or not, at no additional cost. You can charge for the eye exam. However, the only way to ask a patient to pay for the eye exam or evaluation before giving them a copy of their prescription is if you require immediate payment for all eye exam patients. If you've been wearing glasses or contact lenses for a long time, you know dance.
You visit an optometrist to give you a new prescription. And then they want you to order from their optical store. The optometrist doesn't know if you have a limited budget, if you prefer to shop with a particular brand, or you just want to get your damn dark circles in the mail every three months. The doctor may want to evaluate your eyes with the test (fitting) lenses in place before giving the prescription.
They may also require you to pay for the fitting before releasing the prescription. The rule itself isn't new, but it was recently updated to make it even easier to get information about your own eye health and then take it where you want to shop. In eye care practice, an unlicensed person may perform tasks that are not limited to any licensed profession or are exempt under section 7125 of the Education Act which exempts mechanical work in inert matter. People who are sure that their vision hasn't changed or who have recently had an eye exam, but who can't find their prescription, can start by asking their doctor for a copy, since they must have the prescription on record.
Not everyone is a good candidate for an online tool or an online eye test, and these services are not a substitute for visiting an ophthalmologist. You should provide the patient with a copy of the prescription immediately after the eye exam is completed. The Contact Lens Consumer Equity Act requires that a contact lens prescription be valid for at least one year, unless, in the prescriber's medical judgment, the patient's eye health requires a shorter period of time. It does not provide medical advice or replace a full eye health exam performed by an eye professional.
It's important to remember that home testing should not replace a medical eye exam or a complete eye exam by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist. The Eyeglass Rule does not apply to ophthalmologists or optometrists employed by any federal, state, or local government entity. Section 7126 (of the Education Act) allows a corporation that is not licensed to practice ophthalmic dispensing to participate in the business of selling eyeglasses or lenses for vision correction only if a licensed physician, optometrist, or ophthalmic dispenser is in charge and personally attends the point of sale. If a person does not have a copy of their vision prescription, they can first contact their ophthalmologist for this information, as they are required to provide a copy free of charge.
Since 2004, ophthalmologists have a legal obligation to give you a copy of your prescription for contact lenses or glasses.
Leave Message