NOCE Laws, Regulations, and Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Ophthalmic Practice Rules, how long must an optician retain a patient's eyeglass prescription after dispensing?
- 1 year
- 2 years (Correct answer)
- 3 years
- 5 years
Correct answer: 2 years
Federal regulations require opticians and dispensing offices to retain copies of eyeglass prescriptions for a minimum of 2 years.
Question 2: Which federal agency enforces the Eyeglass Rule and the Contact Lens Rule for opticians?
- FDA
- FTC (Correct answer)
- CMS
- OSHA
Correct answer: FTC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the agency that enforces both the Eyeglass Rule and the Contact Lens Rule.
Question 3: A patient requests a copy of their contact lens prescription. Under the Contact Lens Rule, the prescriber must provide it:
- Only if the patient pays a copying fee
- Immediately upon completion of the fitting (Correct answer)
- Within 30 days of the fitting
- Only with written authorization from an optometrist
Correct answer: Immediately upon completion of the fitting
The FTC Contact Lens Rule requires prescribers to give patients a copy of their contact lens prescription at the completion of the fitting, at no extra charge.
Question 4: ANSI Z80.1 is the primary US standard governing tolerances for which type of ophthalmic product?
- Contact lenses
- Ophthalmic frames
- Prescription spectacle lenses (Correct answer)
- Sunglasses
Correct answer: Prescription spectacle lenses
ANSI Z80.1 establishes the tolerances and requirements for prescription ophthalmic lenses in the United States.
Question 5: Which ANSI standard specifically addresses requirements and test methods for non-prescription sunglasses?
- ANSI Z80.1
- ANSI Z80.3 (Correct answer)
- ANSI Z87.1
- ANSI Z80.5
Correct answer: ANSI Z80.3
ANSI Z80.3 covers requirements for non-prescription sunglasses and fashion eyewear, including UV transmittance and impact resistance.
Question 6: A state board of opticianry can take disciplinary action against a licensed optician for which of the following?
- Charging higher prices than competitors
- Dispensing without a valid patient prescription (Correct answer)
- Recommending a specific frame brand
- Offering a satisfaction guarantee
Correct answer: Dispensing without a valid patient prescription
Dispensing eyewear without a valid prescription is a violation of state opticianry laws and constitutes grounds for disciplinary action.
Question 7: Under HIPAA, which of the following patient record activities requires explicit written authorization from the patient?
- Sharing records with another treating provider
- Disclosing records to the patient's insurance company for payment
- Sending records to a marketing firm for promotional use (Correct answer)
- Providing records during a state board audit
Correct answer: Sending records to a marketing firm for promotional use
HIPAA requires written patient authorization for uses of protected health information for marketing purposes, as this is not a treatment, payment, or operations activity.
NOCE Laws, Regulations, and Standards 2
Under the Ophthalmic Practice Rules, how long must an optician retain a patient's eyeglass prescription after dispensing?