WASHINGTON STATUTES AND CODES

18.195.020 - Definitions.

Definitions.

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

     (1) "Dispensing" means the retail delivery of ophthalmic goods to the patient by a prescriber or optician.

     (2) "Eye examination" means a testing process administered by a prescriber that includes the process of determining the refractive condition of a patient's eyes. If requested by the patient, it also determines the appropriateness of contact lenses.

     (3) "Fitting" means the performance of mechanical procedures and measurements necessary to adapt and fit eyeglasses or contact lenses from a written prescription. In the case of contact lenses, the prescription must be in writing and fitting includes the selection of the physical characteristics of the lenses including conversion of the spectacle power to contact lens equivalents, lens design, material and manufacturer of the lenses, and supervision of the trial wearing of the lenses which may require incidental revisions during the fitting period. The revisions may not alter the effect of the written prescription.

     (4) "Ophthalmic goods" means eyeglasses or a component or components of eyeglasses, and contact lenses.

     (5) "Ophthalmic services" means the measuring, fitting, adjusting, and fabricating of ophthalmic goods subsequent to an eye examination.

     (6) "Optician" means a person licensed under chapter 18.34 RCW.

     (7) "Patient" means a person who has had an eye examination.

     (8) "Practitioner" includes prescribers and opticians.

     (9) "Prescriber" means an ophthalmologist or optometrist who performs eye examinations under chapter 18.53, 18.57, or 18.71 RCW.

     (10) "Prescription" means the written directive from a prescriber for corrective lenses and consists of the refractive powers. If the patient wishes to purchase contact lenses, the prescription must contain a notation that the patient is "OK for contacts" or similar language confirming there are no contraindications for contacts.

     (11) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health.