Opticians and CL Fitting in your state?

[Bev Heishman]

I need your help for a research question. What states have specific licensing requirements for fitting contact lenses? If you are in a state that does what are you allowed to do? What equipment, evaluations done, follow up and what regulations are in place? If you aren't in licensed state how are you practicing?

Thanks in advance.

[chip anderson]

Unlicensed state. But 1) Precident Opticians have been fitting contacts here longer than M.D.'s and O.D.'s First American patent on CL's issued to Mississippi Optician in 1898. We were the only ones doing this til some idiot told the M.D.'s and O.D.'s they had gotten easier to fit and were profitable (and they were when opticians were the only ones doing it).
2) State law (which stated the way it had been for 45 years anyway. Must have a "contact lens Rx." Contact lens Rx not defined, but to me means a spectacle Rx with the words "O.K. for Contacts" on it.

[hcjilson]

Dear Bev et al,
Massachusetts checking in. Licensed state.Opticians are allowed to fit and dispense contacts upon rx of MD's or OD's.Thanks to Ken Collinson who took his case all the way to the Mass Supreme Court back in 1964.It took him years to win, but he did.It is also interesting to note that the corneal contact lens was first developed by Theo Obrig and Phil Salvatori who were both Opticians.
In Massachusetts your optical license gives you the right to fit contacts.Our regs are currently being revised to require passage of NCLE for licensure.Hope this helps.
still on the Cape-


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Harry J

[This message has been edited by hcjilson (edited 11-17-2000).]

[Laurie]

Hi Bev (and everyone)

Here in Florida opticians who are Board Certified (NCLE, +30 hours of contact lens education, or grad from one of our opticianry schools) can legally fit contact lenses.

We can perform biomicroscopy, K-Readings, Burton's Lamp with flourescein (sp?), etc.

We have to have a spectacle script with "OK for Contact Lenses" written on it by the doc.

In regard to over-refraction over contact lenses (with trial lenses or phoropter), our law is kind of gray...I have heard a couple varying interpretations in regard to that part.

Hope this helps your research!

Laurie"sick of the counting already"Pierce

[hcjilson]

Dear Laurie-
I have heard some OD's argue that over-refracion constituted the practice of optometry.It is a grey area and no one seems to be pursuing it.Just as well....who needs those kind of headaches.

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Harry J

[Bob Rihl]

Georgia: A Licensced State.
Opticians need a prescription from an MD or OD, but otherwise "may do anything neessary to fit a contact lens." You sure can't fit a contact lens without Keratometry, over-refraction, a tear breakup test and slit lamp evaluation
Of course, the deal now is for an MD to have a "tech" in his office do all of that for you so as to be able to charge an extra hundred. I would tend to eschew RXs like that. No challenge.
Old Bob

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There IS life after optical business!!!

[Laurie]

Dear Harry,

You're right about not wanting to open up a can of headaches! I would argue, though, that an over refraction is simply compensating for vertex distance shift subjectively rather than mathematically.

BTW, Please say Hi to all my buds on the Mass. opticians board! I really miss the group. I was going to announce YOU as the only person legally allowed to fit contact lenses in Mass. until you mentioned Ken Collinson! I was thinking the law had you in it instead of Ken! We used to tease him at MARDO meetings saying he was the only optician in the state who REALLY had the legal right to fit contact lenses!

Have a great weekend on the beautiful Cape.

Laurie : )

[hcjilson]

Dear Laurie- Nice to hear from you also,That was one heck of a fight!If you haven't heard,MARDO has a new name,Opticians Assn of Mass.They are now known as OAM.I told Blair Wong it should have been R(for registered)OAM but they had their minds made up.Now that the temp has fallen to 32 degrees I am somewhat envious on those in warmer climes.I'm off to CA for 10 days to visit the kids.I'll get back on when I get back.Best Wishes

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Harry J