Scenario
You are a dispensing optician and contact lens fitter. You’ve just returned from an emergency trip. Your sister decided to elope and wanted you with her to witness her new marriage. In the midst of the excitement you forgot to check your emails, and the thought of renewing your license slipped your mind. You realize it’s past the cutoff date, and your licence was suspended. What do you do?
What to consider
Contact lens fitting is a restricted activity. That means that only professionals licensed to conduct contact lens fitting can provide this service safely to healthcare consumers. Being licensed to conduct contact lens fitting means that you are competent to provide this service and agree to meet the standards and regulations to ensure safe quality care.
You were the only contact lens fitter at your practice, and you know you have to get your licence back before you can conduct contact lens fittings again. Ensuring you are licenced with the College holds you accountable to the standards for contact lens fitting. These standards are in place to help mitigate risk and protect the public.
First steps:
- You immediately tell your manager that you can no longer conduct contact lens fittings or supervise your colleagues who are not registered with the College until you get your licence back.
- You take down your certificate that is hanging visibly on the wall of your store. Since you are no longer licensed with the College, you’ll have to take your certificate down for the time being.
- Your store also advertises that they have a contact lens fitter on staff. Since your licence has been suspended, you are no longer a contact lens fitter. You put a sign on the door of your store that notifies the public that currently, there is no contact lens fitter on staff.
Consider:
- You’ll have to contact the College to apply to reinstate your licence. **Note that if you’re suspended for over 3 years you’ll need to do a competency assessment to determine if you need any bridging before returning to practice.
- Is your continuing education up to date?
- Do you need a criminal record re-check?
You’ll have to fill out the reinstatement package.
Why maintain my license?
Check out these case studies that explain the value of licensure, and things to consider before dropping your licence.