A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Workshop
Ophthalmic Practice Rules —
Proposed Changes to the Eyeglass Rule.
If you have ever finished your eye exam and then felt pressured to purchase your eye glasses on the spot, you may be interested in learning more about the Eyeglass Rule. Join the FTC tomorrow morning; the workshop is open to the public, and there is no fee to attend; a link to the webcast, will be posted in advance of the event.
From the FTC:
The Federal Trade Commission will host a public workshop on May 18, 2023, to examine proposed changes to its Ophthalmic Practice Rules, also known as the Eyeglass Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 456). The workshop, A Clear Look at the Eyeglass Rule, is being held in conjunction with the Commission’s regulatory review of the Eyeglass Rule. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NRPM) was issued in January 2023 announcing proposed changes to the Rule.
The Eyeglass Rule, in place since 1978, is designed to facilitate consumer choice and promote competition in the eyeglass market by requiring ophthalmologists and optometrists to provide patients with a copy of their prescription immediately after the completion of an eye exam.
Specific topics will include:
- The Rule’s prescription release requirement, including the ongoing barriers consumers are facing and the roadblocks to effective compliance;
- The proposed confirmation requirement and how a similar requirement in the Contact Lens Rule has been working in practice since it came into effect in 2020;
- Other proposed changes to the Eyeglass Rule, including changes permitting digital prescription release in certain circumstances, clarifying that proof of insurance coverage counts as payment, and changing the term “eye examination” to “refractive eye examination” throughout the rule.”
The workshop is open to the public, and there is no fee to attend. The event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET at the Constitution Center (first floor conference rooms), 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20024, and webcast on the FTC’s website at FTC.gov. A link to the webcast, as well as the agenda and speaker information, will be posted in advance of the event. Registration is not required.
In conjunction with this event, the FTC is seeking additional public comment. The public will have until June 20, 2023 to submit comments to accommodate those who wish to provide input on the topics discussed at the event. Information on how to submit comments can be found on Regulations.gov.
FTC Privacy Policy
Under the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) or other laws, we may be required to disclose to outside organizations the information you provide when you pre-register. The Commission will consider all timely and responsive public comments, whether filed in paper or electronic form, and as a matter of discretion, we make every effort to remove home contact information for individuals from the public comments before posting them on the FTC website.
The FTC Act and other laws we administer permit the collection of your pre-registration contact information and the comments you file to consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. Under the Freedom of Information Act or other laws, we may be required to disclose to outside organizations the information you provide when you pre-register. For additional information, including routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, see the Commission’s Privacy Act system for public records and comprehensive privacy policy.
This event will be open to the public and may be photographed, videotaped, webcast, or otherwise recorded. By participating in this event, you are agreeing that your image — and anything you say or submit — may be posted indefinitely at ftc.gov or on one of the Commission’s publicly available social media sites.