Prescription Release Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide further guidance in the application of portions of Ohio Administrative Rule 4725-7-06 and Ohio Revised Code 4725.28 relative to patient prescriptions.

Upon completion of a vision examination and diagnosis, an optometrist shall provide each patient a copy of the prescription for any vision correcting item, device or procedure. This can only be delayed if there is a significant medical reason or the patient has not paid the professional fee for the eye examination.

Patients who have successfully been wearing contact lenses and have no major change in their prescription or type of lens would be eligible to receive a copy of the prescription at the end of the examination. Contact lens examinations which involve new patients, patients making a significant change in the type of contact lens, or patients with an ocular abnormality shall be considered complete under the following parameters: 1) the patient has been evaluated for the fit of the lenses 2) the contact lenses have been dispensed to the patient 3) a trial wearing period has taken place and 4) the contact lens fit has been re-evaluated to determine if the prescription is correct for the patient. The examining optometrist must be satisfied that the prescribed lenses are correct for the patient before releasing the contact lens prescription. The issue date of a prescription means the date on which the patient receives a copy of the prescription at the completion of a contact lens fitting.

Spectacle prescriptions may be expired at the end of two years under normal circumstances unless medical reasons would prohibit the release. Contact lens prescriptions may be expired at the end of one year under normal circumstances unless medical reasons would prohibit the release. Prescriptions are a part of a patient's record. Therefore, the patient is legally entitled to a copy of the prescription even if it is expired. The prescription must be given to the patient provided the professional fee for the examination is paid.

The Fairness to Contact Lens Consumer's Act requires that, at the conclusion of a contact lens fitting, each patient automatically be provided with a copy of his or her own contact lens prescription, whether or not the patient asks for a copy. The new law generally prohibits persons authorized by the state to fit and dispense contact lenses from making the release or verification of a patient's contact lens prescription conditional. Furthermore, the optometrist may not charge a fee for prescription release, require the person to purchase contact lenses at their business, require the patient to sign a waiver or release, or write an expiration date of less than one year unless there is specific medical reason which must be documented in the patient's record.

Persons authorized by the state to complete vision examinations and diagnosis and then to prescribe and dispense any vision correcting item, device or procedure are responsible for knowing and following the full content of all applicable state and federal laws or rules. You may wish to view the full content of the Board's related law and rule at www.optometry.ohio.gov or the Federal Trade Commission's rules relative to the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumer's Act at www.ftc.gov.

Adopted January 19, 2005