The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved the final amendments to the Contact Lens Rule to empower consumers and reduce illegal prescription alterations.
The approval of the Final Rule comes after an extensive review of thousands of public comments and documents received by the FTC between 2015 and 2019.
According to the FTC, the Final Rule requires that after contact lens fitting, eye doctor/prescribers must automatically provide patients with a complete copy of their prescription and verify or provide prescriptions to third-party sellers.
It also requires eye doctors/prescribers to request their patients sign a prescriber-retained copy of the prescription and sales receipt for examination. Thus, confirming that the patients received a copy of their prescriptions.
Furthermore, the Final Rule requires eye doctors/prescribers to provide patients with a digital copy of the prescription, and retain evidence that it was sent, received, or made accessible, downloadable, and printable.
Moreover, the Final Rule requires eye doctors/prescribers to maintain evidence of their compliance with the confirmation of prescription release requirements for three years. If a patient refuses to sign a confirmation, they must write a note and save as record of their compliance with the requirement.
Rule allows consumers to “comparison shop”
In a statement, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Andrew Smith said, “Eye doctors are required by law to provide every patient with a copy of his or her contact lens prescription, allowing patients to comparison shop for lenses. This rule change will help to ensure that eye doctors fulfill their obligations, and will facilitate FTC enforcement of these important requirements.”
