ABO NOCE Basic Opticianry Ophthalmic Laws and Regulations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under FTC regulations, a contact lens prescription must be released to the patient upon completion of the fitting. What is the minimum required validity period for a contact lens prescription?
- 6 months
- 1 year (Correct answer)
- 2 years
- 3 years
Correct answer: 1 year
The FTC Contact Lens Rule requires that contact lens prescriptions be valid for a minimum of 1 year unless a shorter period is clinically justified.
Question 2: A patient requests a copy of their eyeglass prescription. Under the FTC Eyeglass Rule, when must the prescriber provide it?
- Within 24 hours of the request
- At the completion of the eye exam, without being asked (Correct answer)
- Only if the patient plans to purchase elsewhere
- Within 7 business days
Correct answer: At the completion of the eye exam, without being asked
The FTC Eyeglass Rule requires prescribers to give patients a copy of their prescription automatically at the end of the examination, without the patient needing to request it.
Question 3: Which federal law primarily governs the dispensing of contact lenses and requires sellers to verify prescriptions?
- The Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act (FTCLCA) (Correct answer)
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- The Optical Dispensing Act
- The Consumer Protection Enhancement Act
Correct answer: The Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act (FTCLCA)
The Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act (FTCLCA) of 2003 establishes rules for contact lens prescription release and verification by sellers.
Question 4: An optician dispenses lenses with a power significantly different from the written prescription without the prescriber's approval. This action could constitute:
- Acceptable clinical judgment
- Scope of practice violation or unauthorized practice (Correct answer)
- Standard optician discretion
- A HIPAA violation only
Correct answer: Scope of practice violation or unauthorized practice
Dispensing lenses with powers materially different from the prescription without authorization exceeds an optician's scope of practice and may constitute unauthorized practice of optometry.
Question 5: Under the FTC Contact Lens Rule, if a seller cannot reach the prescriber for verification, they may still dispense lenses if the prescriber fails to respond within:
- 4 business hours
- 8 business hours
- 24 business hours (Correct answer)
- 48 business hours
Correct answer: 24 business hours
Under the FTC Contact Lens Rule, a seller may dispense contact lenses if the prescriber fails to respond to a verification request within 8 business hours (or one business day).
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the purpose of state optician licensing boards?
- To set national Medicare reimbursement rates for optical services
- To regulate the practice of opticianry and protect public health within the state (Correct answer)
- To approve new lens technologies for commercial sale
- To manage insurance credentialing for opticians
Correct answer: To regulate the practice of opticianry and protect public health within the state
State optician licensing boards exist to regulate the profession of opticianry, set standards for practice, and protect the public from unqualified practitioners.
Question 7: A patient's spectacle prescription contains the notation 'OU: +1.00 Add +2.50.' An optician cannot fill this prescription because:
- The add power is too high for most lens designs
- A spectacle prescription cannot include an add power
- There is no such restriction — this is a valid bifocal/progressive prescription (Correct answer)
- Add powers above +2.00 require physician approval
Correct answer: There is no such restriction — this is a valid bifocal/progressive prescription
A spectacle prescription with an add power (+2.50) is perfectly valid and represents a bifocal or progressive lens order that an optician is licensed to fill.
ABO NOCE Basic Opticianry Ophthalmic Laws and Regulations 2
Under FTC regulations, a contact lens prescription must be released to the patient upon completion of the fitting.
What is the minimum required validity period for a contact lens prescription?