September 21, 2020
Invision - The Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety (APS) applauded the introduction of the Contact Lens Rule Modernization Act by Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) in the United States Senate. Specifically, the bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), protects patient eye health by eliminating the use of robocalls to verify contact lens prescriptions. The bill also removes burdensome paperwork requirements for patients and providers, instead giving eye care practices the ability to notify patients of key rights regarding their contact lens prescriptions through methods like in-office signage that have been adopted in California. APS has long advocated for these important changes to the Contact Lens Rule, often with the support of Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle.
The Contact Lens Rule was originally written with the intent of increasing patient access to contact lens prescriptions while promoting patient safety. APS supports these goals of the Rule, but has voiced concern that the passive verification provision – often exploited by certain sellers through the use of robocalls – can jeopardize patients’ vision health.