Vision Care Rights

Your eyecare and eyewear rights

Americans are increasingly turning to online vendors and telehealth services to purchase contact lenses and glasses and renew prescriptions online. But special interests threaten to interfere with your ability to use these services. Consumer Action is working to protect your right to buy eyewear where you choose and to take advantage of new telehealth technologies that are bringing down costs and expanding access to care.

Spotlight on our new videos!

The Contact Lens Rule and the Eyeglass Rule

This Consumer Action publication explains your rights, provides links to additional information and tells you…
View

News

Avoiding paying too much for prescription glasses and contacts

Linda Sherry of Consumer Action is featured in this TV news segment about how the…
View

As the virus spikes again, here are narrow regulatory reforms that can expand access to care

Already, the pandemic has led to countless temporary reforms. But, there are a few more…
View

The Contact Lens Rule and the Eyeglass Rule

This Consumer Action publication explains your rights, provides links to additional information, and tells you…
View

FTC sends 28 warning letters about following the Eyeglass Rule

The Federal Trade Commission staff has sent 28 letters to eyeglass prescribers warning them that they…
View

Contact Lens Rule updates: What they mean for you

Do you wear contacts? If so, read on. You have the right to get your…
View

Telehealth provides window for contact lens support during COVID-19

While recent data have shown no increased risk for COVID-19 through contact lens wear and…
View

Cosmetic contact lenses without the Rx: scary!

Halloween alert! Cosmetic contacts lenses change the way your eyes look without correcting your vision.…
View

FTC seeks public comment on changes to Contact Lens Rule

The Federal Trade Commission has announced it is seeking additional public comment about newly proposed…
View

Why are glasses so expensive?

It’s a question I get asked frequently, most recently by a colleague who was shocked…
View

Contact lens seller turns a blind eye to the law

The FTC alleges that Lawrence L. Duskin – owner of HollywoodColorContacts.com, WorldColorContacts.com, and TopModelContacts.com –…
View

‘Ocular Innovation’ video added to Vision Action Center

Consumer Action unveiled a new educational video on its Vision Action Center to help glasses…
View

Where can you use online eyewear prescription renewal tests?

When your prescription expires, you may be able to take an online vision exam and…
View

Ocular innovation (video)

This video features Dr. Darius Moshfegui, a leading Stanford University opthalmologist and innovator, and Linda…
View

Renewing your eyewear prescription online (video)

Consumers in 39 states can have their vision tested and contact lens prescriptions renewed remotely…
View

Know your rights (video)

You have a right to a copy of your eyewear prescription after an eye exam…
View

Ocular Telehealth Proponents Form Coalition to Advocate for Online Vision Care

Proponents of ocular telehealth have formed a coalition to advocate for access to online vision…
View

Consumer Action Strongly Supports Updates To Federal Trade Commission’s Contact Lens Rule

Our 2017 poll data shows 60% of contact lens consumers are unaware of their automatic…
View

Don’t Mess With Contact Lens Consumer Rights

Consumer Action and the National Taxpayers Union are groups that don’t often find themselves on…
View

Consumer Action applauds proposed changes to Contact Lens Rule

Consumer Action supports the rights of consumers to choose where they want to purchase their…
View

Policy and Coalition Activities

Coalition urges Congress to protet the Contact Lens Rule

The Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice sent letters urging Congress and the Senate to oppose any efforts to roll back the recently updated Federal Trade Commission Contact Lens Rule during the 117th Congress.
Read
Oppose S 4613: Protect the Contact Lens Rule

Senate Bill 4613 is the American Optometric Association's latest attempt to undercut the Contact Lens Rule and its consumer protections. Introduced by Senator John Boozman (who is also an optometrist), this bill seeks to make it more difficult for contact lens wearers to buy lenses from the vendors of their choice, as permitted by the Contact Lens Rule.
Read
Infographic on FTC Contact Lens Ruling

The FTC issued its long-awaited Contact Lens Rule this past summer. The unanimous, bipartisan decision is a resounding win for taxpayers and consumers, protecing competition and allowing for consumer choice. Click the link to download the PDF infographic.
Read
Coalition urges Congress not to delay Contact Lens Rule

The coalition wrote to the United States House Appropriations Committee to protest any addition to the FY 2021 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill that would delay the implementation of the critically important FTC Contact Lens Rule, slated to go into effect in a couple months.
Read
Eye Docs Blow a Gasket, and Credibility, Over New FTC Contact Lens Rule

Chuck Muth, president of Citizen Outreach, a free-market 501(c)(4) grassroots advocacy organization, and a member of the Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice, "penned" this opinion piece. And he didn't even need to disinfect his pen!
Read
Consumer Reports (CR) urges Congress not to delay Contact Lens Rule

CR says: "This new requirement is a long-awaited linchpin of better ensuring that the Contact Lens Rule effectuates Congress’s intent: addressing the eye doctor’s conflict of interest, so that consumers who wear contact lenses are able to benefit from the savings and convenience that a competitive marketplace provides." Click READ to download the letter.
Read
FTC announces final amendments to Contact Lens Rule

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the approval of a final rule amending the agency’s Contact Lens Rule, which facilitates shopping for contact lenses by requiring prescribers to automatically provide a copy of a patient’s prescription to the patient and to verify or provide prescriptions to third-party sellers.
Read
Coalition urges FTC to finalize revised Contact Lens Rule

The Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice wrote to the FTC on March 13, 2019, urging the FTC to issue the final revised Contact Lens Rule, clarifying, strengthening and enhancing the rights of contact lens wearing consumers.
Read
Vision Action Center educates consumers on their rights

On May 8, Consumer Action launched its Vision Action Center to help ensure that hundreds of millions of glasses and contact lens wearers in America know their consumer rights. Read the press release.
Read
FTC holds lively Contact Lens Workshop

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a public workshop in Washington, DC, on March 7 to explore issues of competition in the contact lens marketplace, consumer access to contact lenses and prescriptions. Consumer Action’s Linda Sherry joined an afternoon panel on consumer choice and prescription release.
Read
Protect contact lens consumer rights

WRITE NOW to tell Congress to protect contact lens consumer rights. Just fill out the action alert and you will be able to email a message to your elected officials.
Read
Oppose a Washington State ban on telemedicine vision checks and prescription renewals

Consumer Action joined Americans for Vision Care Innovation in a letter to Washington State legislators in opposition to any state bans on "ocular telemedicine"—online vision tests that are useful for eyewear prescription renewals.
Read
Bill would block competition and choice in the contact lens market in Kentucky

Consumer Action joined the National Taxpayers Union in a letter to members of the Kentucky State Senate opposing legislation (HB 191) that would restrict the right of state residents to renew contact lens or glasses prescriptions online.
Read
FTC holds workshop to examine the contact lens marketplace

On March 7, the Federal Trade Commission held a public workshop in Washington, DC, to explore issues regarding competition in the contact lens marketplace, consumer access to contact lenses, prescription release and portability, and related subjects. Linda Sherry, director of national priorities at Consumer Action joined one of the day's panels, Prescription Release and Consumer Choice.
Read

Coalitions

Americans for Vision Care Innovation

Americans for Vision Care Innovation is a growing bipartisan coalition of consumer groups, trade associations, technology companies, retailers, think tanks and groups advocating for rural Americans and other underserved populations. We have come together to help ensure that America’s glasses and contact lens wearers have access to a safe and effective vision care tool. Our goal is to encourage more states to adopt pro-consumer legislation that promotes access to online vision testing and to end bans on such services where they exist.
Visit
Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice

The Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice serves as a voice for 41 million American contact lens consumers by advocating for continued consumer choice in the contact lens market. The Coalition opposes legislative and regulatory proposals at the federal and state levels that would limit the ability of consumers to purchase contact lenses from the retailer of their choice, whether online, in stores or over-the-phone. The Coalition’s members include retailers, contact lens wearers, consumer groups, good government advocacy organizations, optometrists and other eye care professionals, and members of the public with diverse perspectives.
Visit