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California Business And Professions Code Section 2541.1

Legal Research Home > California Lawyer > Business and Professions Code > California Business And Professions Code Section 2541.1

(a) A spectacle lens prescription shall include all of the
following:
   (1) The dioptric power of the lens.  When the prescription needed
by the patient has not changed since the previous examination, the
prescriber may write on the prescription form "copy lenses currently
worn" instead.
   (2) The expiration date of the prescription.
   (3) The date of the issuance of the prescription.
   (4) The name, address, telephone number, prescriber's license
number, and signature of the prescribing optometrist or physician and
surgeon.
   (5) The name of the person to whom the prescription is issued.
   (b) The expiration date of a spectacle lens prescription shall not
be less than two to four years from the date of issuance unless the
patient's history or current circumstances establish a reasonable
probability of changes in the patient's vision of sufficient
magnitude to necessitate reexamination earlier than two years, or
presence or probability of visual abnormalities related to ocular or
systemic disease indicates, the need for reexamination of the patient
earlier than two years.  In no circumstances shall the expiration
date be shorter than the period of time recommended by the prescriber
for reexamination of the patient.  Establishing an expiration date
that is not consistent with this section shall be regarded as
unprofessional conduct by the board that issued the prescriber's
certificate to practice.
   (c) The prescriber of a spectacle lens shall orally inform the
patient of the expiration date of a spectacle lens prescription at
the time the prescription is issued.  The expiration date of a
prescription may be extended by the prescriber and transmitted by
telephone, electronic mail, or any other means of communication.  An
oral prescription for a spectacle lens shall be reduced to writing
and a copy of that writing shall be sent to the prescriber prior to
the delivery of the lenses to the person to whom the prescription is
issued.
   (d) A prescriber of a spectacle lens shall abide by the rules
pertaining to spectacle lens prescriptions and eye examinations
adopted by the Federal Trade Commission found in Part 456 of Title 16
of the Code of Federal Regulations.
   (e) An expired prescription may be filled if all of the following
conditions exist:
   (1) The patient's spectacles are lost, broken, or damaged to a
degree that renders them unusable.
   (2) Upon dispensing a prescription pursuant to this subdivision,
the person dispensing shall recommend that the patient return to the
optometrist or physician and surgeon who issued the prescription for
an eye examination and provide the prescriber with a written
notification of the prescription that was filled.

Last modified: January 12, 2009