Changes in British Columbia

**AnotherOD** · 03-19-2010, 06:10 PM

Some serious stuff going on:

http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_rele...015-000286.htm

The Province is giving six weeks’ notice that effective May 1, 2010, changes will be made to the regulations for opticians and optometrists under the Health Professions Act, including:
· Removal of most of the restrictions that allow only opticians or optometrists, or workers supervised by them, to dispense glasses or contacts.
· Allowing prescriptions issued by medical doctors and optometrists outside of the province to be filled within B.C.
· Allowing people to order glasses or contacts online without having to give the seller a copy of their prescription, sight-test assessment or contact-lens specifications.
· Requiring opticians and optometrists in B.C. to include in a prescription or sight-test assessment the measurement of distance between the client’s pupils, which is required for the proper fitting of glasses.
· Requiring opticians and optometrists in B.C. to give clients, free of charge, a copy of their prescription, sight-test assessment or contact-lens specifications – whether or not it is requested by the client – and also to give a copy, free of charge, to a third-party eyewear seller or other person if requested by the client.

Also taking effect on May 1 is a change to optician sight-testing. Opticians will now be able to independently conduct sight-tests for healthy clients aged 19-65. This eliminates the extra step of having a sight-test reviewed by a medical doctor who then issues a prescription. Instead, a screening process will be put in place to ensure a client is healthy enough to be eligible for the sight-test, and is fully informed about the difference between a sight-test and an eye-health examination.

**IndianaOD** · 03-19-2010, 07:57 PM

Wow

**Jacqui** · 03-19-2010, 08:42 PM

What in the H--- is going on out there??

**eyemanflying** · 03-20-2010, 06:23 AM

It's sure obvious that someone in the government is on the Coastal back door payroll. This makes absolutely no sense and is on the wrong path. What ever happended to protecting the profession(s), its members and the public???

In regards to the free consultation, contacts and dispensing, this is wrong. Our time as professionals is not FREE. Its just a matter of time before someone goes blind from not having a proper assessment, fitting and follow up - it will then be very interesting to see who share the blame when the wearer sues.

The OD's now probably want to kick themselves in their rear end...opening the door years ago and allowing non-licenced dispensing staff to measure and dispense was the root of this new problem. People, as professionals, we cannot delegate! This is why we are registered professionals. Delegation evolved simply because of convenience and cheapness. The devil is now smiling and receiving his ROI on the deal from long ago.

However, I am ok with the sight testing by both OD's and OPT's provided there is a procedural mandatory process in place. It is time we all as registered professionals share more of the pie.

**idispense** · 03-20-2010, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by eyemanflying

It's sure obvious that someone in the government is on the Coastal back door payroll. This makes absolutely no sense and is on the wrong path. What ever happended to protecting the profession(s), its members and the public???

In regards to the free consultation, contacts and dispensing, this is wrong. Our time as professionals is not FREE. Its just a matter of time before someone goes blind from not having a proper assessment, fitting and follow up - it will then be very interesting to see who share the blame when the wearer sues.

The OD's now probably want to kick themselves in their rear end...opening the door years ago and allowing non-licenced dispensing staff to measure and dispense was the root of this new problem. People, as professionals, we cannot delegate! This is why we are registered professionals. Delegation evolved simply because of convenience and cheapness. The devil is now smiling and receiving his ROI on the deal from long ago.

However, I am ok with the sight testing by both OD's and OPT's provided there is a procedural mandatory process in place. It is time we all as registered professionals share more of the pie.

They have a Federal MP on their Board of Directors . http://investing.businessweek.com/re...CONTACTS%20INC

**idispense** · 03-20-2010, 08:51 AM

This is not so much about deregulating opticians and throwing opticians a sight testing carrot, THIS IS ALL ABOUT HANDING OVER THE OPTICAL BUSINESS TO INTERNET VENDORS .

**idispense** · 03-20-2010, 08:53 AM

Opticians have just been made a slave to internet vendors and the manufacturers that support internet vendors.

**eyemanflying** · 03-20-2010, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by idispense

They have a Federal MP on their Board of Directors . http://investing.businessweek.com/re...CONTACTS%20INC

Talk about a hidden agenda and conflict of interest! This must get exposed - to the highest degree with media attention!

**AnotherOD** · 03-20-2010, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by eyemanflying

The OD's now probably want to kick themselves in their rear end...opening the door years ago and allowing non-licenced dispensing staff to measure and dispense was the root of this new problem.

Maybe the invention of the internet also had something to do with this.

**drk** · 03-20-2010, 04:14 PM

Well, let's see if the intenet businesses can make this work.

Seriously, if there's mega online competition, and low, low margins, many will go bankrupt. How many jobs can you produce at $39? Not for long they can't.

Hold your ground and fight, and wait.

If you need to lower overhead to be competitive, though, you might want to think about it.

**eyemanflying** · 03-20-2010, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by AnotherOD

Maybe the invention of the internet also had something to do with this.

That was the inception. The internet is the platform.

**LandLord** · 03-20-2010, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by drk

Well, let's see if the intenet businesses can make this work.

Seriously, if there's mega online competition, and low, low margins, many will go bankrupt. How many jobs can you produce at $39? Not for long they can't.

Hold your ground and fight, and wait.

If you need to lower overhead to be competitive, though, you might want to think about it.

Wake up and smell the acetone!!!!!!! We're not dealing with amateurs here. When a tsunami is imminent, you can either fight it and die, or give up your ground and find new ground you can thrive on. I suggest the latter option. Read this article from this month's Profit Magazine.
Rogers Hardy
Coastal Contacts Inc., Vancouver
"I've made just about every mistake in business known to man," says Roger Hardy, who co-founded Vancouver-based Coastal Contacts Inc. in 2000. Since then, the online retailer of eyeglasses and contact lenses has gone public and made two appearances on the PROFIT 100, achieving 2009 sales of $140 million.
"I had a couple of businesses before this one. One I sold too soon, and one I held onto for far too long. It's a delicate balance to get it right. There was definitely regret. But my value as a person — my self-worth — wasn't connected to the businesses.
"With the company I sold too soon, I didn't understand the business as well as I should have, and probably didn't understand its potential as well as I could have. I was lured by the thought of a financial windfall that would help my family. I held the other business too long because I thought the opportunity was there and I couldn't understand why we weren't capitalizing on it. I thought it should work. I was lucky that I had a couple of different things on the go. The learning was that I needed to better understand the strategic direction of the businesses and have a better sense of the metrics involved.
"In either instance, I didn't spend a lot of time sitting around thinking about it remorsefully. In retrospect, I probably should have sat around and had more remorse. But I think my personality is such that, the next day, I'm thinking, 'Hey, now we're going to go on to the next thing.' That's just how my mind works. I don't think I dwell too much on the past, whether there is failure or success. I just try to learn from what happened and keep moving forward.
"At Coastal Contacts, we've made lots of mistakes along the way. We look at the business in terms of people, strategy and execution. People is the top piece. Have I made mistakes in hiring? Absolutely. And the cost of making a high-level mistake can be catastrophic, especially in marketing and finance. If you know there's a problem, you have to move fast; there's no time, really, to feel bad about it. You pay the penalty and move on.
"In business, you have to try a lot of things. Some work, and some don't. You have to look at every failure as an opportunity to learn, and every failure moves you one step closer to success. You have to keep trying until you get it right.
"Old-school business is all about getting the perfect concept correct. At our company, that type of thinking would be the end of our lives. For us, doing business is all about changing and being dynamic, making mistakes and moving on.
"I've been writing business plans since I was 18, and there are 12 in the filing cabinet right now. I'm passionate about business. And I'm fortunate. But if my business fortunes changed tomorrow, I have three more ideas ready to go — the next three things I see that consumers would like. I'm always looking for disconnects, looking at the signs for business ideas."

**LandLord** · 03-20-2010, 07:52 PM

By the way, some thread mentioned the regulators were giving online retailers time to comply with the law. Well it looks like it's the other way around! The law is changing to comply with business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**idispense** · 03-20-2010, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by LandLord

By the way, some thread mentioned the regulators were giving online retailers time to comply with the law. Well it looks like it's the other way around! The law is changing to comply with business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, some are wondering just how that came to be . We'd probably need an answer from near the top . Maybe Nick could shed some insight ?

Just how does it happen that a Government and Health Ministry step into a Judges' case that is still ongoing in certain aspects ?

How does it happen that opticians in BC will now be slaves to the internet and have to give up discretionary measurements for free ?

Maybe Nick could explain how accurate glasses are going to be made from a PD measurement and no seg height info ? Should we have the patient pick up their internet frame and bring it back in to us so we can take the seg height for Free too ?

I imagine that BC will be changing their licensing fees and making those Free for BC opticians ? Fair is Fair right ? I imagine the BC College of opticians , their staff , directors , and executives and Registrar will now see the merit in giving up their salaries and working for Free ?

And those BC politicians , like the Minister of Health will they be working for free too ?

Oh and then there is Alberta , will they be jumping on the band wagon too ?

There used to be jobs in North America .

This is the high price of big discounts and offshore products.

**LandLord** · 03-20-2010, 08:40 PM

I agree, idispense. While we're at it, why don't we hire an online, unregulated "political regulation seller". Instead of paying taxes in BC we can choose from a list of laws online and have the current politicians take care of the paperwork for free!!!

**idispense** · 03-20-2010, 09:08 PM

IF the other provinces funded BC's escapades in kangaroo court, then I imagine BC regulators of opticians will do the honourable thing and now refund the money to the other provinces .

**idispense** · 03-20-2010, 09:10 PM

Now that anyone can dispense in BC , I don't imagine it would make any sense for BC to continue with the half baked Licensed Optician.ca scheme . Shall we expect BC to drop out ?

**AnotherOD** · 03-20-2010, 09:51 PM

Isn't BC also the province with the 6-month optician training program?

So the least-trained opticians also have the largest scope (refraction)?

**LandLord** · 03-21-2010, 01:11 AM

Media Contact:
Bernadette Murphy
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health Services
250 952-1887 (media line)
250 213-9590 (cell)

**eyemanflying** · 03-21-2010, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by idispense

Now that anyone can dispense in BC , I don't imagine it would make any sense for BC to continue with the half baked Licensed Optician.ca scheme . Shall we expect BC to drop out ?

Very good point - wasn't this identity crisis developed in BC?

**AnotherOD** · 03-21-2010, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by eyemanflying

The OD's now probably want to kick themselves in their rear end...opening the door years ago and allowing non-licenced dispensing staff to measure and dispense was the root of this new problem.

My sense is that the type of customer who purchases their glasses from the optometrist is not the type of customer who will order their glasses online --> the internet consumer is the type who just wants the lowest price possible and would previously have shopped at chain opticals (e.g Lenscrafters) where the optometrist is not involved with the dispense.

**eyemanflying** · 03-21-2010, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by AnotherOD

My sense is that the type of customer who purchases their glasses from the optometrist is not the type of customer who will order their glasses online --> the internet consumer is the type who just wants the lowest price possible and would previously have shopped at chain opticals (e.g Lenscrafters) where the optometrist is not involved with the dispense.

The type of consumer that wants the lowest price possible certainly doesn't shop at LensCrafters or the local independant Optometrist's office. What an oxymoron.

**idispense** · 03-21-2010, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by eyemanflying

Very good point - wasn't this identity crisis developed in BC?

Developed in BC , paid for in Ontario , eh ?

**AnotherOD** · 03-21-2010, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by eyemanflying

The type of consumer that wants the lowest price possible certainly doesn't shop at LensCrafters or the local independant Optometrist's office. What an oxymoron.

Sorry - retain chain like Costco/Walmart or whatever.

But you're right - optometrists are behind all of this, and every ill that befalls the eyecare industry.

**Refractingoptician.com** · 03-21-2010, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by AnotherOD

Sorry - retain chain like Costco/Walmart or whatever.

But you're right - optometrists are behind all of this, and every ill that befalls the eyecare industry.

You would be wrong about that . The $$ is behind most things .