The College of Opticians of British Columbia is the health regulatory college for all Opticians in BC. The College establishes qualifications for Opticians and works to ensure Opticians are providing competent and effective care.

Our Mission is Regulating and Improving the Practice of Opticians to Ensure Quality Professional Care for the Consumers of British Columbia.

The Health Professions Act includes a duty and object for colleges "to promote and enhance...collaborative relations with other colleges established under this Act, regional health boards designated under the Health Authorities Act and other entities in the Provincial health system, post-secondary education institutions and the government."

The College of Opticians of BC supports a public awareness campaign initiative with the best interest of serving and protecting the public in mind as it relates to BC Opticians. The College has piloted this project through the beginning stages with the intent to educate. The college in conjunction with National Opticianry Groups will use our website, newsletter and events to promote ongoing updates and progress. This college continues to be mindful of our Mission and Vision statements.

The College’s mission is to serve and protect the public interest through effective regulation of the practice of Opticianry. The college’s vision is to be recognized and valued as a progressive accessible organization that ensures the public’s right to quality vision care while providing accountable leadership in the self regulation of Opticians.

For more information about the public awareness campaign, click on the banner above or visit: www.licensedoptician.ca

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

On May 1, 2010 the Minister of Health, the Honorable Kevin Falcon, signed into force the new Opticians Regulation.

The amendments removed most restrictions on who may dispense corrective eyewear, allow independent sight-testing by opticians, require that interpupillary distance be provided in sight-tests and that opticians provide copies of sight-test results free of charge and whether or not requested, and implement the new shared scope of practice/restricted activities regulatory model for opticianry. For more information on scope of practice reform and restricted activities, please click here.

The College of Opticians of British Columbia is currently working with all stakeholders to define a “standard of practice” for refracting opticians. This may take another 60 days to complete.

The major change to the current Standards of Professional Practice are highlighted below:

• The results of the assessments, provided the client is within the listed limitations, no longer require a signature of a physician or optometrist.
• The results of an assessment can be used to dispense eyeglasses or contact lenses.
• On instructions from a physician or optometrist, you may provide refractive services to persons outside the limitations listed on the attached schedule.
• All refracting opticians are required to be certified by the College. You must have completed a training program prior to certification.
• The College is required to specify the type of equipment a refracting optician may use.
• A refracting optician must supply a copy of the results to the client at the completion of the assessment without charge.

For refracting opticains to continue their refracting certification by the College, they will be required to attend a seminar on the “jurisprudence” or the laws affecting refracting opticians. If a refracting opticain has completed the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) or the Opticians Association of Canada (OAC) automated refracting course, he/she will not be required to complete any other certification other than the jurisprudence seminar.

Unless authorized by a physician or an optometrist, Licensed Opticains must comply with the schedule of limitations in the new Opticians Regulation.

Click here for more information and frequently asked questions about the government's proposed regulation amendments.