WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that its staff has sent 38 letters to eyeglass prescribers to warn them of potential violations of the agency’s Opthalmic Practice Rules, known as the Eyeglass Rule.
The Eyeglass Rule is designed to give consumers the right to comparison shop for prescription eyeglasses. Prescribers must always provide patients with eyeglass prescription copies after an exam, even if the patient does not request them. Prescribers cannot mandate that consumers buy directly from them as a condition of receiving the prescription.
According to the FTC, these 38 prescribers were notified that any violations of the rule could result in legal action, including up to $16,000 in civil penalties per violation.
