Contact Lens Dispensing - Registered Dispensing Opticians - Business & Professions - CA

Section § 2560

You can't fit and adjust contact lenses in California unless you meet certain criteria. Either you need to be a registered contact lens dispenser, or if you're not registered, you must work under the supervision of one who is, and they must be physically present with you. Plus, a registered dispenser can't supervise more than three unregistered people at a time.

An individual shall not fit and adjust contact lenses, including plano contact lenses, unless that individual complies with the registration requirement of Section 2564.90, and unless either of the following applies:

(a) The individual is a duly registered contact lens dispenser as provided in Section 2561.

(b) The individual is an unregistered individual who performs the fitting and adjusting under the direct responsibility and supervision of a duly registered contact lens dispenser who is then physically present on the registered premises. In no event shall a registered contact lens dispenser supervise more than three unregistered individuals.

contact lens fitting adjust contact lenses registration requirement ...

Section § 2561

If you want to become a registered contact lens dispenser in California, you need to apply using forms from the board and pass a specific exam. This exam is usually from a national committee, but the board can change it if needed. If you're renewing your registration and haven't worked in the field much in the past five years, you might need to take this exam again. Exams are held at least twice a year, and the dates are announced well in advance. The board can deny registration for certain reasons and will give a certificate to those who qualify. Registered individuals can call themselves contact lens dispensers but can't advertise as specialists.

An individual shall apply for registration as a registered contact lens dispenser on forms prescribed by the board. The board shall register an individual as a registered contact lens dispenser upon satisfactory proof that the individual has passed the contact lens registry examination of the National Committee of Contact Lens Examiners or any successor agency to that committee. In the event the board should ever find after hearing that the registry examination is not appropriate to determine entry level competence as a contact lens dispenser or is not designed to measure specific job performance requirements, the board may thereafter from time to time prescribe or administer a written examination that meets those specifications. If an applicant for renewal has not engaged in the full-time or substantial part-time practice of fitting and adjusting contact lenses within the last five years then the board may require the applicant to take and pass the examination referred to in this section as a condition of registration. Any examination administered by the board shall be given at least twice each year on dates publicly announced at least 90 days before the examination dates. The board is authorized to contract with the National Committee of Contact Lens Examiners or any successor agency to that committee to provide that the registry examination is given at least twice each year on dates publicly announced at least 90 days before the examination dates.

The board may deny registration where there are grounds for denial under the provisions of Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 475).

The board shall issue a certificate to each qualified individual stating that the individual is a registered contact lens dispenser.

A registered contact lens dispenser may use that designation, but shall not hold himself or herself out in advertisements or otherwise as a specialist in fitting and adjusting contact lenses.

contact lens dispenser registration application National Committee of Contact Lens Examiners ...

Section § 2562

If you go to a contact lens dispenser, they must remind you to visit your eye doctor for a follow-up check-up after you start wearing your new lenses. This should be done within 60 days of getting your prescription.

Upon satisfactory completion of the fitting of contact lenses, but in no event more than 60 days after receipt of the prescription, a registered contact lens dispenser shall direct the person named in the prescription to return to the prescribing physician and surgeon or optometrist for an evaluation.

contact lens fitting follow-up evaluation prescribing physician ...

Section § 2564

This law states that the rules in this article don't apply to an assistant who is fitting contact lenses, as long as they are working directly under a doctor or optometrist who is licensed to fit contact lenses.

The provisions of this article shall not apply to an assistant fitting contact lenses while acting under the direct responsibility and supervision of a physician and surgeon or optometrist who engages in the practice of fitting contact lenses for his or her patients under Section 2544.

assistant contact lenses supervision ...

Section § 2564.5

If you're a registered dispensing optician fitting contact lenses, you need to have a clean and separate handwashing station that's easy to get to. This station must include clean running water, disinfectant soap, and ways to dry hands like towels or a hand dryer, and it cannot be part of a bathroom.

A registered dispensing optician fitting contact lenses shall maintain accessible handwashing facilities on the premises and those facilities shall be used before each fitting of contact lenses. For purposes of this section, “accessible handwashing facilities” means a clean and sanitary sink with clean running water, disinfectant soap, and adequate drying devices such as a towel or electric hand dryer, which is physically separate from a lavatory or bathroom and is accessible to all relevant persons.

registered dispensing optician contact lenses fitting handwashing facilities ...

Section § 2564.6

This law states that a registered dispensing optician must follow the rules outlined in Section 2541.2. Basically, it's saying that opticians need to abide by certain regulations that are specified in that other section.

A registered dispensing optician shall comply with the applicable provisions of Section 2541.2.

dispensing optician Section 2541.2 compliance ...