WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it has warned 45 contact lens prescribers and 10 contact lens sellers that they may be violating the agency’s Contact Lens Rule, which helps consumers comparison shop for contact lenses and ensures sales occur only to those with valid prescriptions.
The rule mandates that prescribers that fit patients for contact lenses give the patients the prescription at the end of the fitting. These prescribers cannot charge additional fees for handing over the prescription, nor can they force a patient to buy contacts directly from them.
The rule also requires sellers to obtain a valid prescription from the consumer or verify the prescription with the prescriber before making any sales. Additionally, these sellers cannot dispense lenses to anyone attempting to use an expired prescription.
The FTC notified the prescribers and sellers via letter, and claimed that violations of the rule could result in legal action, including civil penalties of up to $16,000 per violation.