Can I refract a patient?

[marleymar7]

By California state regulation as a Advanced ABO Certified Optician am I able to refract a patient. Not just scribe but actually refract and leave the other stuff to my OD? I have read tons of stuff but wanted some working experienced opticians to help answer

[optical24/7]

There is no state that a non doctor can prescribe an eye glass Rx without a write off from a Dr. OD laws in every state forbid an OD from writing off an Rx. They must perform the refraction themselves. OMD's are the only dr's that can write off an Rx.

[marleymar7]

Understand regarding writing and signing off on the RX. However I am talking about the actual refraction (trial Framing) and having OD complete check your refraction work for visual acuity and continue rest of exam. Saving the OD time in the exam lane and cutting down on patient wait time

[optical24/7]

Understand regarding writing and signing off on the RX. However I am talking about the actual refraction (trial Framing) and having OD complete check your refraction work for visual acuity and continue rest of exam. Saving the OD time in the exam lane and cutting down on patient wait time

I work with a group that includes OD's and OMD's. I 'm the 1st stop on Rx rechecks. On the OMD Rx's my re-refract is usually noted and put on charts then finalized with the OMD writing it off. On our OD Rx's I give my results, but the doctor of record must confirm my findings with their own re-refraction.

MD's simply have more leeway on whom they delegate duties to. Anybody can refract. The public does it upon choosing which OTC reader they prefer. As far as a legal eye glass Rx is concerned, OD's must personally examine and finalize an Rx. MD's can delegate and write off.

I know of no law that would prevent an OD from delegating a preliminary refracton by staff, ( like auto refractors) but they must perform and finalize the refraction and Rx.

[Chris Ryser]

I know of no law that would prevent an OD from delegating a preliminary refracton by staff, ( like auto refractors) but they must perform and finalize the refraction and Rx.

marleymar7 is aware of that and already working that way.

I went to one of those big medical clinics in Naples, FL. about 10 years ago when I needed a new Rx, requested to renew my Florida drivers license.

When done the MD took about 2 minutes to check and verify what the girls had done.
He also told me that I had a cataract in my left eye and he could fix it for $ 4,000.

I replied with a no thank you as I was fully covered in Canada through my medicare and it would not cost me a cent back home.

He handed me the drivers license renewal form in a sealed envelope, marked that it could only be opened at the drivers license bureau.

Back to get my licence I was told that the doctor had recommended that they should have me doing a new drivers test. I agreed right away , passed it with flying colors and got my license back.

However I did not appreciate the doctors revenge, for my refusal to have have him fix my eye for $ 4,000.

[cjlee07]

I do believe in at least Arizona, an licensed state, a Licensed Dispensing Optician can in fact issue a new eyeglass RX via a neutralized pair of old glasses if comfortable doing so. I understand this doesn't answer the op but it is a way for an Optician to technically create an RX.

[Chris Ryser]

I do believe in at least Arizona, an licensed state, a Licensed Dispensing Optician can in fact issue a new eyeglass RX via a neutralized pair of old glasses if comfortable doing so. I understand this doesn't answer the op but it is a way for an Optician to technically create an RX.'

This is not creating a new Rx, it is copying an old existing Rx.

[Lelarep]

This is not creating a new Rx, it is copying an old existing Rx.

The second time he said "Rx" not "New Rx". So, in the second mention, he is technically correct, in a semantic sense. The first mention where he said "New Rx" is indeed incorrect.