Many businesses that provide eye exams are hoping to sell you eyeglasses, but you have the right to shop around. The Federal Trade Commission has a rule that states you are entitled to a copy of your glasses prescription, and they’re cracking down on prescribers that refuse.
Here’s how the FTC describes what they call the Eyeglass Rule:
The Eyeglass Rule requires prescribers to provide patients with a copy of their eyeglass prescription immediately after an eye exam that includes a refraction, even if the patient does not request it. Under the Rule, prescribers also cannot require that patients buy eyeglasses as a condition of providing them with a copy of their prescription, place a liability waiver on the prescription, require patients to sign a waiver, or require patients to pay an additional fee in exchange for a copy of their prescription. Prescribers further cannot refuse to perform an eye exam unless the patient buys eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other ophthalmic goods from them.
There is also a Contact Lens Rule with similar stipulations.
This means that your prescriber should give you your prescription, even if you don’t ask for it. If they don’t, they’re violating the law. You can then take that prescription and comparison shop for glasses or contacts anywhere you like.
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The FTC has a page describing what information the prescription must include, and refuting a few of the bullshit excuses that prescribers sometimes use. Giving you your prescription is not a HIPAA violation, and they can’t require you to pay for your eye exam before handing over the prescription—not unless they charged everybody for an eye exam at the time of service. The one annoying thing they can do is withhold your pupillary distance, which is not a legally required part of the prescription. In some states, they are allowed to charge you for this part of the prescription.
If your prescriber still refuses to fork it over, the FTC wants you to know that you can report a violation of the law here.
