Standards

[David Wilson]

Hi fellow OptiBoarders,
I've been spending a bit of time lately going through some of the standards on spectacle lenses, including ANSI Z80, the ISO standards and our own Australian version AS2228 and I was wondering how many of the standards are mandatory. I understand that lenses must meet the impact resistance requirements of the ANSI standard, but what about other aspects such as tolerances for axis, prism etc? Our standard AS2228 is not mandatory, however our sunglass standard AS1067 (for plano sunnies) is, as a result of national consumer legislation.
Can anyone tell me the status of standards in your part of the world and, if you don't use one of the standards mentioned, what your standards are?
Thanks.
Regards
David Wilson

[This message has been edited by David Wilson (edited 07-11-2000).]

[Pete Hanlin]

Darryl would be the ideal person to converse with on this subject (he is on the ANSI committee), but I'll mention that, by and large, our ANSI standards are non mandatory.

Basically, ANSI standards, to my understanding, outline the level of accuracy that should be attainable with modern equipment. Therefore, if the lens you are checking is not within the tolerence provided by ANSI, it was not made to the level of accuracy which should be expected from commonly used ophthalmic fabricating equipment.

Is it legal to dispense products that don't meet ANSI standards? Sure, but if you are ever contested in court, the opposition lawyer will point to the standard as a measure against which to judge the quality of your work. In other words, you will lose your case in a lawsuit.

As you mention, impact resistance is mandatory, and certain labels concerning UV blocking ability cannot be used unless the product meets certain standards.

Pete

[David Wilson]

Thanks Pete,
I suspected as much. Your point about being used in court as evidence that the specs were not up to scratch, so to speak, is a good one and I have been using that approach with my own students. In Australian consumer law it would be argued that they were not of 'merchantable quality'.

Nice to have you join the international set Pete.
Regards
David

[Steve Machol]

One the interesting things about optics in the U.S. is how different the laws can be from one State to the other. Licensure requirements, for example, are non-existent is some States and quite strict in others.

As for optical standards, I've heard from time to time that certain States have tried to turn these standards into laws. However I'm not aware of any State enacting such a law.

Is anyone aware if optical standards are the law in any Country?

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Steve
OptiBoard Administrator

[Darryl Meister]

I missed this thread of discussion earlier... But I'll add my own 2 cents worth, now.

Most ANSI spectacle standards are simply performance guidelines, not requirements mandated by law. This means that standards such as the Z80.1 Standard (Prescription recommendations for ophthalmic lenses) merely provide "ideal" quality guidelines, and do not necessarily carry the "weight" of the law to compel people to adhere to them.

1. Although we do not have many mandatory ANSI standards, we do have several regulations that are law. For example, our impact resistance requirements are part of a Federal regulation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also has some regulations concerning safety eyewear and personal protective devices. The impact resistance requirements in the ANSI Z80.1 Standard are merely a reprint of the FDA's requirements.

2. In some cases, ANSI standards are mandated by law. For instance, the Z87.1 Standard is mandated by OSHA and the Z80.1 Standard is indirectly mandated by OSHA through the Z87.1 Standard. Also, certain states mandate the Z80.1 Standard for opticianry licensure.

3. These standards represent "standard practices" for our industry. Consequently, someone failing to meet the ANSI requirements could be found liable in a legal dispute for not meeting accepted standards of care or practice. The FDA, for instance, recently issue a statement acknowledging the Z80.3 Standard (Non-prescription sunglasses and fashion eyewear) as such a standard of practice. They also stated that manufacturers of non-prescription failing to meet the Z80.3 requirements had better show a good reason for doing so. So, although it isn't necessarily law, the FDA will be breathing down your neck if you aren't meeting those requirements.

Best regards,
Darryl

[David Wilson]

Thanks, Darryl,
The US system sounds very much like ours. I'm curious about whether any country actually has mandatory spectacle lens standards (I suspect not). The consumer legislation that added legal weight to the Australian Standards sunglass standard came about as a result of the increasing concern about the effects of UV. Oddly, though, prescription sunglasses are not covered by the legislation. The legislation cites AS1067 which only covers plano, off-the-rack sunnies. Perhaps they think that ametropes are well protected already.
Regards
David

[harry a saake]

Steve, in some states, such as N.C. there is also a state OSHA, which follows all the federal regulations and then sometimes adds to them making them even more stringent.

[harry a saake]

Dave Wilson, just curious, in Australia do they have any regulations on the optometrists,mandating that they have to release the spectacle rx, whether or not the patient asks for it. We have had this as FTC law since 1976. PS got any opals from lightning ridge you want to part with. 73,s

[David Wilson]

Hi Harry,
Australia, as a federation, operates much like the US and Canada. Each of our six states has their own optometrical acts. As I understand it, most if not all require the release of the prescription. The New South Wales Optometrical Act (my state) is about to be changed but the significant changes include, I believe, the right for 'non-optometrists' to employ optometrists and own optometrical businesses. The thrust of the legislation appears to be fewer restrictions.

Unfortunately I don't have any opals but a teaching colleague of mine (he actually teaches pest control) has a claim way up north in Lightning Ridge. It is his hobby and he spends most of his holidays there. Somehow, though, spending my holidays at the bottom of a hundred foot mineshaft doesn't really appeal to me.

Regards
David

[harry a saake]

Hi Dave, well i can concur with you about the bottom of a 100 foot pit, but then again if you have ever seen a black opal from the ridge, you can understand why people hunt them. I am the proud owner of an 8 carat opal from that mine, and if they were not so bloody expensive, i would probably own more. curious are they just as expensive down there?

[David Wilson]

Hi Harry,
I believe that they are still pretty expensive down here. Opals are very popular with tourists at the duty free stores around Sydney. If they are in duty free stores then they are generally quite dear.I'm about to go away for two weeks (tomorrow morning) but I'll catch up with my colleague when I return and let you know the going rate down here. It would be interesting to see how the ratio of prices compares with, say, progressive lenses etc. I know that a lot of economists like to refer to the Big Mac factor (a comparison of Big Mac prices around the world). We could have the PAL factor, a comparison of progressve lenses.
I'll be in touch in two weeks.
Regards
David

[harry a saake]

Hi Dave, will be glad to supply all kinds of prices, but i think it would rather best be done via direct e-mail...N4OOI@aol.com

[chip anderson]

Steve:

Don't know what the legal standards are now, but when the guilds of opticians became the Worshipful Society of Spectacle Makers in England, they had the power from the Crown to destroy lenses that the deemed to be not up to standard.

Chip

[Steve Machol]

Originally posted by chip anderson:
<FONT COLOR=#FF0000>...they had the power from the Crown to destroy lenses that the deemed to be not up to standard.</FONT>

Well I guess that's better than destroying the Optician who made the lenses!



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OptiBoard Administrator