Understanding the FTC Eyeglass Rule: What It Means for Your Practice
Andrew Cuthbert |The updated Federal Trade Commission (FTC) eyeglass regulations impact optometry operations. To remain compliant, doctors must provide prescriptions immediately after a refractive eye examination and collect and store patient confirmation receipts indicating they received the prescription.
Patients must consent to a digital prescription, or providers must provide a paper copy.
These new rules allow patients to shop around for eyeglasses without restrictions outside their optometrist’s office. The updates are designed to give consumers more freedom in treatment, and compliance will foster the success and credibility of practices. These rules benefit patients and make eyeglass shopping more accessible, but they might temporarily cause snags in optometrists’ operations.
As of early 2025, these regulations have taken effect, and failure to comply can result in fines and other legal issues. Providers must understand the new regulations and determine how to implement them without disrupting patient care. There are a few ways to adapt smoothly to ensure success, including using new healthcare management technologies.
What Is the FTC Eyeglass Rule?
The 2024 updates from the FTC require ophthalmic and optometrist practices to follow a few key regulations. First, providers must give patients their eyeglass prescription as soon as a refractive eye exam is over. They must also collect and safely store signed prescription release acknowledgment forms, which act as digital or paper prescription receipts.
The new rule empowers patients to immediately shop for eyeglasses wherever they like without being limited to their optometrist’s selection and prices. While prescription releases were possible before, they weren’t required immediately after an exam, and practices often only supplied them by request and sometimes with an added cost. By providing a prescription up front, physicians offer patients greater transparency.
These policies will likely enhance competition among eyeglass providers and give consumers more options.
Key Requirements of the FTC Eyeglass Rule
The automatic release requirement means that providers must supply the prescriptions immediately following an exam before discussing eyewear options with a patient. This applies to ophthalmic practices in particular, as the sale of glasses often requires immediate payment after an exam that reveals a shift in prescription.
New provisions in the FTC regulations allow for digital delivery methods if the patient consents. Otherwise, a paper copy of their prescription will still be available. The option to choose digital delivery expands the accessibility of eyeglasses and allows patients to shop online and in other in-person spaces for their glasses.
Now, patients are much less limited in their selection and may be able to find more affordable options or seek insurance coverage at eyeglass providers beyond their ophthalmologist or optometrist.
How the FTC Eyeglass Rule Affects Your Ophthalmic Practice
Practices should prepare for operational changes to ensure their compliance. These changes may include extended timeslots for eye exams to allow enough time for the prescription release. The process of gathering consent for digital prescription release will also require some planning, as providers can either do this during an appointment or in communication with the patient before the appointment.
Practitioners should ensure they remain compliant to avoid potential fees and legal issues. Verify your compliance by restructuring your exams to follow prescription release procedures, including immediate release and patient acknowledgment. Staff should be familiar with distributing paper prescriptions if patients refuse to sign a digital release consent form.
It is important to train staff on handling prescription release protocols and the gathering of digital consent.
How To Prepare for the FTC Eyeglass Rule in 2025
To prepare for the updated requirements, physicians should review their current prescription release protocols and update them according to the new rules. These updates can be easier with improved digital prescription delivery and tracking technology. The enhanced efficiency of digital delivery and tracking ensures compliance and improves patient satisfaction.
Weave offers tools to improve digital healthcare management and make it easier for optometrists and ophthalmologists to comply with the new FTC regulations. By implementing easy-to-use digital forms, appointment reminders, and online scheduling, practitioners can streamline their processes and focus on providing exceptional care.
Common Challenges With the FTC Eyeglass Rule and How To Overcome Them
Ophthalmic practices may struggle to adjust their workflows or integrate digital delivery without adequate technical support. These challenges can disrupt daily operations and delay compliance, which may leave the practice vulnerable to fines and other issues.
Consider streamlining the process with Weave’s supportive technology to make the transition as smooth as possible. For example, the Weave mobile app can be used to notify patients when their prescription is ready and allow them to track its preparation immediately after their exam.
Communicating with Patients Using Weave
The new FTC guidelines require ophthalmologists and optometrists to deliver prescriptions immediately after a refractive eye examination. Patients must also sign an acknowledgment of the receipt of their prescription. Staying compliant is essential to avoiding fines and other legal penalties.
The new regulations empower patients and make eyeglasses more accessible, so adapting to this change will positively impact your patients. However, adjusting to the new protocols can be challenging without disrupting care or sacrificing data organization. Practitioners should use software solutions like Weave to make the changes as seamless as possible.
Using Weave’s automated systems and communication tools enables practitioners to efficiently adapt and stay compliant with the new FTC eyeglass rule.
Get a demo to learn how Weave can help your ophthalmic practice manage patient communications and prescription workflows efficiently.
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