Results of Board Survey Pertaining to Cosmetic Contact Lens Use

2002 Georgia State Board of Optometry Survey Reveals Cause for Concern

The Georgia State Board of Optometry has recently compiled results from a survey of Georgia’s 1097 licensed optometrists. Charged with public safety concerns, the Board desired to collect data on ocular incidents resulting from the illegal sale of contact lenses. As in many states, optometrists were stating concerns surrounding beauty supply stores, flea markets and the like, selling cosmetic contact lenses without a prescription.

This year, approximately twenty (20) cease and desist orders were issued by the board to these companies and all complied. Along these same lines, legislation was proposed and ultimately defeated, that would change the current contact lens law. The proposed law would have removed the restriction that only optometrists, ophthalmologists and opticians can sell contact lenses, eliminated the fitting period and written Rx, mandated immediate release of contact lens prescriptions after initial exam, changed the expiration from 12 to 24 months, allowed for unlimited refills during the first 22 months and removed the mail order prohibition for contact lens sales.

The FDA’s recent warning to consumers and “import alert” to export companies is a welcomed sign that this problem may be resolved. Still, we feel it is in our state’s best interest to keep documentation on specific incidences of ocular injury from unregulated sales. In fact, the FDA has asked that health care professionals report adverse events on their MedWatch website.

The following are the results of this survey:
(430 / 39% of Georgia optometrists responded to the survey.)

Question #1: Are you aware of or have you seen patients wearing lenses acquired from unregulated sources?

342 / 79.5% responded yes, 84 no and 4 responded N/A.

Question #2: Do you feel illegal contact lens sales are a threat to public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Georgia?

421 / 98% responded yes, 3 no and 6 N/A.

Question #3: Have you treated patients with injuries or infections associated with the illegal or unregulated purchase of contact lenses?

171 / 40% responded yes, 240 no and 19 N/A.

Question #4: If yes, how many in the past two years?

Approximately 781. This approximation came from several responses that stated 5+ to 15+. The lowest number was used in the estimation.

Question #5: Can you document these cases with histories, findings, treatment and outcome?

37 / 9% responded yes, 144 no and 249 N/A.

Based on these results, noting the approximated 781 reported injuries in the past two years, the Georgia Board of Optometry will continue to scrutinize new contact lens legislation and interrupt illegal sale of such lenses in order to protect the public at large. Georgia’s optometrists are urged to continue submitting case reports to the Board office and to the FDA website.

For more information, please contact:

Georgia State Board of Optometry
Anita O. Martin, Executive Director
237 Coliseum Drive
Macon, GA 31217
Phone: (478) 207-1686
Fax: (478) 207-1699
aomartin@sos.state.ga.us

and reference:

O.C.G.A. 31-12-12

To report an incident to ARBO, please reference: