The General Optical Council (Rules on the Fitting of Contact Lenses) Order of Council 1985

• Citation: S.I. 1985/856
• Sections: 5

Section 1

These rules may be cited as the Rules on the Fitting of Contact Lenses 1985.

Section 2

(a) In these rules—

“ The Act ” means the Opticians Act 1958;

“ appropriate course of instruction ” means a course of instruction as a dispensing optician or an ophthalmic optician provided by an approved training institution;

“ the Council ” means the General Optical Council established under the Act;

“ examining body ” means a body granting, for the time being, an approved qualification;

(b) Section 30 of the Act shall apply for the interpretation of these rules as it applies for the interpretation of the Act.

Section 3

A person who is training as a dispensing optician or an ophthalmic optician and who falls within one of the classes prescribed by Rule 4 of these rules may fit a contact lens provided he does so—

(a) in the course of obtaining practical experience; and

(b) under the continuous personal supervision of a registered optician or registered medical practitioner.

Section 4

The classes of persons training as dispensing opticians or ophthalmic opticians prescribed for the purposes of these rules are the following:—

(1) Persons engaged in an appropriate course of instruction.

(2) Persons who either:—

(a) have completed an appropriate course of instruction; or

(b) are holders of a qualification for the time being recognised under section 3(4) of the Act (overseas qualifications);

and who are undertaking a period of preregistration training as a dispensing optician or an ophthalmic optician under the supervision of an examining body.

(3) Persons who have been accepted by an examining body to sit without further part-time or full-time study the examinations for an approved qualification by virtue of having completed an appropriate course of instruction.

(4) Persons engaged in a course of instruction provided by an approved training institution leading to a qualification approved by the Council for inclusion in the register under rule 5(1)(e) of the Registration and Enrolment Rules 1976 , as amended.

Section 5

These rules shall come into operation on 5th June 1985.