Opticians of British Columbia


		Sight Testing

Use of Automated Sight Testing
Technology By Opticians

What is Automated Sight Testing?

Automated sight-testing is safe, proven technology to automate testing a person's eyesight. The technology has been used for more than 20 years and in British Columbia since 1998.
A computer calculates the specifications for an optician to make corrective lenses.
Opticians use automated-sight testing with customers who use corrective eyewear and want to replace or refresh their lenses.
Automated sight-testing gives British Columbians a safe, cost-efficient choice for obtaining corrective lenses without the unnecessary time and cost of a personal visit to an ophthalmologist or optometrist.

No Safety Risk

Automated sight-testing equipment poses no safety risk to British Columbians. In over 20 years and hundreds of thousands of uses in North America, there is not a single reported case of anyone being harmed by this technology.
Optometrists have attempted to restrict opticians from using automated sight-testing by persuading the Provincial Government to require individuals to undergo eye health examinations before automated sight-testing. The result would be that healthy adults would have to undergo eye health examinations (at an average cost of $65), every time they want automated sight-testing.
Opticians give their customers clear written explanations they are not receiving an eye health examination with automated sight-testing.
Healthy adults do not need to be forced to have eye health examinations before getting corrective eyewear. The Canadian Ophthalmological Society guidelines recommend eye health exams for healthy adults, between the ages of 40-64, every 2-4 years and, for those 20-30 years of age, every 3-5 years.
The British Columbia Government agrees. In 2000, it removed eye health exams from MSP coverage for healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 64. Bringing back a requirement for an eye health exam for an otherwise healthy adult would reverse the Government's decision.

Proposed Regulations Will Create Industry "Gatekeepers"

In March, 2001, the Supreme Court of British Columbia decided opticians are entitled to use automated sight-testing equipment under the existing provisions of the Opticians Regulation.
Since the Supreme Court's decision, changes to the Opticians Regulation have been proposed which would deprive members of the public of the benefits of a safe, affordable option when replacing corrective lenses by requiring them to have permission from an ophthalmologist or optometrist before getting an automated sight-test.
There is no reason to make ophthalmologists or optometrists "gatekeepers", who keep British Columbians away from opticians.
There are only 180 ophthalmologists and 367 optometrists in British Columbia, compared to over 1,000 opticians. Optometrists charge, on average, $65 per visit, whether the person needs an eye health exam or only wants a vision test for new corrective lenses.
Opticians use automated sight-testing equipment to calculate the specifications for corrective lenses at no additional charge to the customer.
The BC Association of Optometrists is actively lobbying the Provincial Government to enact amendments to the Opticians Regulation, which will effectively prohibit opticians from using automated sight-testing technology. If they succeed, consumer choice will be eliminated and the cost of corrective eyewear will increase for British Columbians.

The Solution - Amendment of Section 6(3) of the Opticians Regulation

The College of Physicians and Surgeons reviewed the use of automated sight-testing and permitted ophthalmologists to issue prescriptions for corrective eye lenses using only the results of an automated sight-test. That enabled opticians to help customers without requiring them to undergo an eye health exam.
But, after intensive lobbying by optometrists, the College issued an opinion that physicians, including ophthalmologists, should not issue any sort of prescription, be it Internet drug prescriptions or eyewear prescriptions, before seeing someone as a patient.
At the same time, however, the College took no position on whether it is necessary at all for ophthalmologists or others to issue prescriptions prior to opticians preparing eyewear based on automated sight-testing.
A practical, sensible solution is not to require prescriptions from ophthalmologists when the results of an automated sight-test show only a small change in vision.
And, opticians should be able to make corrective eyewear using the calculations of an automated sight-test, so long as the change in vision is not large (for example 2.00 diopters). For healthy adults, a small change in vision is normal and raises no concerns about eye health.
The Provincial Government should amend Section 6(3) of the Opticians Regulation to allow opticians to make corrective eyewear for healthy adults based on an automated sight-test , so long as the change in vision is not large.

For more information on Sight Testing, visit the College of Opticians website.