Definitions

1 In this regulation:

"Act" means the Health Professions Act;

"contact lens" means a lens or mold designed or offered for the purpose of being placed on the cornea or other anterior surface of an eye to correct the refractive error of, or induce physiological change in, the eye;

"contact lens fitter" has the same meaning as in the Opticians Regulation, B.C. Reg. 287/2008;

"contact lens record" means the record of the contact lens specifications derived from fitting a contact lens using information contained in a prescription for a corrective eyeglass lens;

"diagnostic drug" means a drug that is

(a) specified in Schedule I or II of the Drug Schedules Regulation, B.C. Reg. 9/98,

(b) included in a category in the Schedule of this regulation, and

(c) permitted, by standards, limits and conditions established under section 19 (1) (k) or (l) of the Act, for topical administration only in diagnosing patients;

"dispense" 

(a) in respect of a diagnostic drug or therapeutic pharmaceutical agent, has the same meaning as in the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, but excludes a sale, as defined in that Act, and

(b) in respect of a vision appliance, means to design, prepare, adjust or supply the vision appliance;

"electronic" has the same meaning as in the Electronic Transactions Act;

"fit" means

(a) to select or recommend the design and type required, or

(b) to perform any tests related to assessing physiological safety or suitability;

"optician" has the same meaning as in the Opticians Regulation;

"optometry" means the health profession in which a person provides the services of

(a) assessment of the eye or vision system through the use of instruments, devices, diagnostic drugs or other means, and

(b) treatment, management or prevention of

(i)  disorders of refraction,

(ii)  sensory or ocular motor disorders, or

(iii)  diseases or disorders of the eye or anatomical structures directly related to the vision system;

"prescribe" means,

(a) in respect of a therapeutic pharmaceutical agent, to issue a "prescription" as defined in the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, and

(b) in respect of a vision appliance, to issue an authorization to dispense for use by a named individual;

"prescription for a corrective eyeglass lens" means the record of an authorization to dispense a corrective eyeglass lens for use by a named individual, derived from an eye examination and prepared by a registrant, setting out

(a) the lens power required to correct the refractive error of an eye, and

(b) reading add, prisms, back vertex distance and contraindications;

"qualified medical practitioner" means a medical practitioner who is permitted to provide vision care services;

"substance" includes water and excludes a drug specified in Schedule I, IA, II or IV of the Drug Schedules Regulation;

"therapeutic pharmaceutical agent" means a drug that is

(a) specified in Schedule I or II of the Drug Schedules Regulation, B.C. Reg. 9/98,

(b) included in a category described in the Schedule of this regulation, and

(c) permitted, by standards, limits and conditions established under section 19 (1) (k) or (l) of the Act, for topical administration only in the therapeutic treatment or care of patients;

"treating physician" means the medical practitioner who is a patient’s primary health care provider;

"verify" means to inspect and confirm objectively, before supplying to the named individual, that the following specifications are met:

(a) in the case of a corrective eyeglass lens, the specifications set out in the prescription for the corrective eyeglass lens;

(b) in the case of a contact lens, the specifications set out in the contact lens record;

"vision appliance" means an appliance or a device designed or offered for a vision condition,

(a) including a corrective eyeglass lens, contact lens or low vision aid, and

(b) excluding complete ready-to-wear eyeglasses not designed or offered for use by a named individual.

[am. B.C. Reg. 93/2009, ss. (a) to (c).]

College name

2 The name "College of Optometrists of British Columbia" is the name of the college established under section 15 (1) of the Act for optometry.

Reserved titles

3 (1)  The titles "optometrist" and "doctor" are reserved for exclusive use by registrants.

(2)  This section does not prevent a person from using

(a) the title "doctor" in a manner authorized by another enactment that regulates a health profession, or

(b) an academic or education designation that the person is entitled to use.

Scope of practice

4 A registrant may practise optometry.

Restricted activities

5 (1)  A registrant in the course of practising optometry may do any of the following:

(a) make a diagnosis identifying, as the cause of signs or symptoms of an individual,

(i)  a disorder of refraction,

(ii)  a sensory or ocular motor disorder, or

(iii)  a disease or disorder of an eye or an anatomical structure directly related to the vision system;

(b) for the purpose of removing a superficial foreign body from an eye, perform a procedure on tissue

(i)  below the dermis,

(ii)  below the surface of a mucous membrane, or

(iii)  in or below the surface of the cornea;

(c) administer a substance by irrigation for the purpose of treating a disorder of a tear duct;

(d) prescribe a therapeutic pharmaceutical agent;

(e) dispense a diagnostic drug or therapeutic pharmaceutical agent;

(f) administer topically a diagnostic drug or therapeutic pharmaceutical agent;

(g) prescribe a vision appliance;

(h) fit a contact lens;

(i) verify a corrective eyeglass lens or contact lens.

(2)  Only a registrant may provide a service of optometry as set out in this regulation if, on the day before this section comes into force, the provision of the same service under the Optometrists Act by anyone other than a person authorized under that Act was prohibited.

[am. B.C. Reg. 93/2009, s. (d).]

Limits or conditions on services and restricted activities

6 (1)  A registrant may prescribe, dispense or administer topically a therapeutic pharmaceutical agent only if the registrant has successfully completed a certification program established, required or approved under the bylaws to ensure that registrants are qualified and competent to perform those restricted activities.

(2)  A registrant must notify a patient’s treating physician, if known to the registrant, on prescribing, dispensing or administering a therapeutic pharmaceutical agent for or to the patient.

(3)  A registrant must provide to the named individual, free of charge, a legible written or electronic copy of

(a) the prescription for a corrective eyeglass lens, on completion of the eye examination, and

(b) the contact lens record, on completion of the fitting.

(4)  In a prescription for a corrective eyeglass lens, a registrant

(a) must not, in any manner, express or imply that only a registrant or qualified medical practitioner, or a person acting under delegation from or supervision of a registrant or qualified medical practitioner, is authorized or qualified to dispense a corrective eyeglass lens using information contained in the prescription,

(b) must inform the named individual that the prescription is not a prescription for a contact lens,

(c) must, unless a specific contraindication for the wearing of contact lenses by the named individual is set out in the prescription, inform the named individual that

(i)  a contact lens may be fitted and dispensed using information contained in the prescription, and

(ii)  only a registrant, qualified medical practitioner or contact lens fitter, or a person acting under delegation from or supervision of a registrant, qualified medical practitioner or contact lens fitter, is authorized to fit a contact lens, and

(d) must advise the named individual to return to a registrant or qualified medical practitioner if the individual experiences any persistent physiological problems with a corrective eyeglass lens or contact lens that has been dispensed using information contained in the prescription.

[am. B.C. Reg. 93/2009, s. (e).]

Patient relations program

7 The college is designated for the purposes of section 16 (2) (f) of the Act.

Health profession corporations

8 Part 4 of the Act applies to optometry.