Unlicened Chains And Independents In Mass

[sixlucky]

I would have thought there would be more interest in unlicensed operations.....this is widespread throughout massachusetts. CALL AROUND IN YOUR AREA,,,MAKE INQUIRIES,,MAKE REPORTS WITH MASS BOARDS,,,BOTH OPTOMETRY AND OPTICIONARY,,,,THIS HURTS EVERYONE.......NO WONDER OPTICIANS CANT MAKE A LIVING WAGE,,,,,SHOPS AND OFFICES ARE OPEN AS USUAL WITHOUT A DOCTOR OR LICENSED OPTICIANS,,,,ESPECIALLY ON OPTICIANS/OD DAY OFF,,,NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS,,,,,WE NEED EVERYONE TO GET INVOLVED,,CARPENTERS, ELECTRICIANS,PLUMBERS BUS DRIVERS MAKE BETTER SALARIES,,,,PLEASE CONTACT ME,,,SIXLUCKY@AOL.COM

[NC-OD]

sixlucky,

Calm down dude. I don't know about your neck of the woods but it is perfectly legal to have 'unlicensed' help selling, adjusting, bending, cutting, dispensing eyewear without a doctor in the office. An OD or OMD does not have to be in the office to sell eyewear.

Only Optician-owned shops have a requirement to have a license on the premises in NC (and most other states I'm told).

We can debate the logic of this law (which seems odd to me) if you want but don't go overboard when you don't appear to know the facts.:cheers:

If you are only talking about Mass, then I stand corrected and will butt out.

[sixlucky]

Learn The Laws Of Mass......

[NC-OD]

Learn The Laws Of Mass......

This is what I see on the Mass Board of Optometry website:
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http://www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/op/cmr/24603.htm

3.09: Verification and Quality of Dispensed Materials

(1) An Optometrist shall not use or dispense any ophthalmic lenses or materials which are not first quality, as defined by the American National Standards Institute in Sections Z80.1 and Z80.2.

(2) An Optometrist shall verify all prescription materials prior to their dispensing.

(3) Prior to the dispensing of contact lenses, the patient shall be instructed as to lens handling, including insertion and removal, lens care, and hygiene.
----------------------------------------------------------

Is it the 'required to verify all rx's prior to dispensing' that has you upset? Based on my reading, this does not mean that an OD office can not sell or make eyewear without a license on premises. Am I correct on this?

[hcjilson]

Please make it in writing addressed to:
The Board of Registration of Dispensing Opticians
Division of Professional Licensure
5th Floor
239 Causeway St
Boson MA 02114

If one were to read your post, one would think that your claim is wide spread. As a former board member I KNOW that is not the case.Please be specific rather than generalized as in the above post.All complaints are forwarded to the investigative unit and will be followed up. Be SURE of your facts before submitting a complaint. You would do well to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations for the practice of Opticianry in the Commonwealth so that you are on the same page as the investigators.
best wishes from Harry C. Jilson

You may find the Rules and Regs here:
http://www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/do/rule_reg.htm

[sixlucky]

Mr Jilson,,,,what Is You E-mail Adress So That I May Communicate With You In Private,,,,,,sixlucky@aol.com

[sixlucky]

The Issue Is Very Wide Spread In The Boston Area.......

[hcjilson]

we would have heard about it before today. You can reach me at harry.jilson@verizon.net or by clicking on my name and sending me a private message on this board. All complaints should be submitted to the board directly, in the manner outlined in my earlier post rather than unsubstantiated in this forum. The board is not prone to act on anonymous complaints so be sure to clearly identify yourself.

hj

Please note: The title of this thread indicates that chain stores are licensed. They are not. The BOR regulates opticians and the practice of opticianry only. No corporation is licensed to practice, only individuals.

[Lynne]

[QUOTE=NC-OD]sixlucky,

Calm down dude. I don't know about your neck of the woods but it is perfectly legal to have 'unlicensed' help selling, adjusting, bending, cutting, dispensing eyewear without a doctor in the office. An OD or OMD does not have to be in the office to sell eyewear.

Only Optician-owned shops have a requirement to have a license on the premises in NC (and most other states I'm told).

In Hawaii there must be a licensed optician, or OD, in the premises to order, dispense, or even adjust a frame!!! I work in an HMO, and the state caught up with us, because we were ABOC, working under the ODs license even when they were not physically in the office, and they told us, no, that cannot be! They also went after Costco, who had no LDO there on a Sunday, only "sales assistants" with ABO only. So they had to close Sundays until they had more licensed staff, which in Hawaii means ABOC and NCLE, and pay the State a license fee - which we think is the top and bottom of it (the fee )!! Most of us had 10 - 20 years experience!!

[Judy Canty]

sixlucky,

Calm down dude. I don't know about your neck of the woods but it is perfectly legal to have 'unlicensed' help selling, adjusting, bending, cutting, dispensing eyewear without a doctor in the office. An OD or OMD does not have to be in the office to sell eyewear.

Only Optician-owned shops have a requirement to have a license on the premises in NC (and most other states I'm told).

We can debate the logic of this law (which seems odd to me) if you want but don't go overboard when you don't appear to know the facts.:cheers:

If you are only talking about Mass, then I stand corrected and will butt out.

I might be splitting hairs here, but, according to the Opticians regulations for North Carolina, the exemptions for Opticians practicing under an OD or MD's license are limited to minor adjustments and repairs. Everything else requires direct on-site supervision of the licensed individual.

[wmcdonald]

are the key. ODs and MDs typically hire "assistants" in NC. Many ads state "no experience necessary, will train". Those folks are not covered under the Opticians laws because they are not Opticians. OD and MDs in this and most other states are exempt, which is in some folks view a restraint of trade. The only folks penalized are Opticians. If I left my office to go for lunch and the inspector came for a visit, I would be breaking the law, and generally the board would fine me or suspend my license. The State Board of Opticians has no jurisdiction in the ODs and MDs office who can dispense eyeglasses and/or CLs all day with untrained and unlicensed personnel. There are some exceptions that do hire well-trained Opticians, but they are few. Generally Opticians are placed at a huge disadvantage, and the field needs to be leveled one way or the other. The best solution would be to require Opticians in offices where the doc is not on premises for periods of time, but the OD lobby would not tolerate this change. The other option is to allow Opticians the same right as a professional to take responsibility for any services or products dispensed. I feel personally that if optical dispensing requires a license, then it should be done by licensed people, but we will have a tough time supporting this argument when over half the states require nothing to be an Optician other than a pulse.

[wmcdonald]

Judy,
there is no supervision required for licensed personnel working anywhere. They are licensed providers and can function independently. The supervision is for apprentices or others that are not licensed. ODs and MDs who are training apprentices have to follow this regulation only if supervising an apprentice. They can hire someone unlicensed and they can do as they wish.

Warren

[Judy Canty]

Warren,
I wasn't talking about licensed opticians. However, when an OD or an MD referrs to an employee as an optician the regulations are at best murky. It looks like NC's Optican regs are pretty specific about what regulations OD's and MD's are exempt from. The only real problem that I see is getting anyone to report this kind of questionable activity to the relevant authorities.

Here in Virginia, no one may hold themselves out to the public as an optician without the proper current license. The fact remains that it is done routinely without a single complaint from licensed Opticians, myself included. Perhaps rather than trying and failing to enact further licensing regulations, we should concentrate on enforcing what's already there.

[wmcdonald]

is a protected title in NC and only those licensed are able to legally use the title Optician. Someone may refer to them as they wish, but unfortunately the employees of the MD or OD are not under the jurisdiction of the NC State Board, and therefore exempt frpm the law. They can dispense eyeglasses all day and no one can do anything about it. That is what is so unfair. I am very aware of the laws in Nc, and you stated Opticians under the supervision of.......without a license they are NOT Opticians, and that is spelled out quite clearly in the law and not at all murky.

[hcjilson]

I'm reasonably sure that a licensed optician falls under the jurisdiction of the licensing authority regardless of their employment by an OD or an MD. The licensing authority does not have jurisdiction over the OD or MD, or any corporation and can only sanction the optician.

[wmcdonald]

I am talking about unlicensed staff that work in the OD or MD office, not those licensed by the state. Our board has no control over them, they are supervised by the doc which means they are exempt. If a licensed Optician works for the MD or OD of course they are subject to the board's review. Again, the playing field is unlevel.

[QDO1]

you have it bad in the US

[MassOptician]

open stores without licensed opticians is not a huge problem in mass.....the problem is sparatic at best and it is usually due to someone calling in sick...both with independent stores and chains....but you do realize that under mass law you are covered for no licensed optician if a doctor is there.....

so if you are so sure of these things, why don't you post your name....you are a troublemaker and an idiot.....so lets all just ignore sixlucky from now on and hopefully he will go away...for he never checks his facts, never has proof and loves to haress people with phone calls.....because if you continue to do so, your full name and phone numbers will be posted every bulletin board in massachusetts
is that a deal Yale????

Learn The Laws Of Mass......

[sixlucky]

i THINK I MAY HAVE TOUCHED A NERVE,,,,,

[sixlucky]

You Should Resign Your Position,,,,,,,

[sixlucky]

Today Would Be Nice,,,,,resign,,,,,,

[sixlucky]

you are barking up the wrong tree,,,,,,relinquish your position

[sixlucky]

I am shaking in my boots,,,

[OptiJim]

And this is why some optiboarders just read and don't post. Utter nonsense over and over and over and over................................

This Mass. license thing has been beaten to death and is taking up too much server storage space. Point taken, gotten, received or whatever. WA State is a licensed optician state surrounded by 2 non-license states (OR & ID). Opticians here seem to get by just fine. Play the cards you are dealt or go to a new game. As a matter of fact, i just placed a Help Wanted ad on the Job Board. Maybe someone with your spunk needs a change of scenery.:)

Whether you are required to be licensed or not, a good optician is a good optician. Just because you pass some tests and get your "state license", doesn't mean you are a good optician, or plumber or electrician or driver.

I say beat the bastages (no offense to the bastages:) ) at their own game. Be the best game in town. And yes, you may have to step to the plate a little harder than you want to, but come on, you can do it.

Just my 2 cents worth from way across the country. Plus, I am ready to read some new posts. Good Luck!

[Judy Canty]

I am shaking in my boots,,,

Knock it off. Your posts are neither informative nor helpful and will not be tolerated by any of the moderators of this forum.