ABDO has welcomed a response from the General Optical Council (GOC) in relation to an offer of 4,000 free contact lenses for frontline workers from online contact lens retailer, Vision Direct, which is owned by Essilor Luxottica.
The offer was publicised in the Sun and Mirror newspapers, with a link to the Vision Direct website and instructions on the process for obtaining a discount code to be entered at the consumer’s shopping basket. The offer is for a free month’s supply of Everclear ADM daily disposable contact lenses.
ABDO president, Jo Holmes, told DO Online: “ABDO raised concerns with the GOC regarding these articles as there was no information provided to state that patients who had not worn contact lenses before shouldn’t apply – as they had therefore not been through a trial and supplied with a specification.
“The GOC responded to confirm that it had received a number of complaints about Vision Direct’s offer in the Sun and Mirror newspapers without first verifying the specification details with the prescriber.”
The GOC went on to state: “Following a private prosecution by the GOC in 2008, Vision Direct were convicted of breaching the Opticians Act by selling contact lenses without first verifying the wearer’s contact lens specification with the prescriber, but have unfortunately continued to supply contact lenses, without verification, from the Netherlands.
“It is difficult to use UK law to prosecute an overseas company even where the purchaser is in the UK. Even where it might be legally possible to prosecute a non-UK company under UK legislation, there would be practical problems in presenting a hearing without the power to compel the defendant to attend a UK court. It would also be extremely hard to enforce any conviction or order.
“Although the GOC cannot compel Vision Direct to change their sale practices, we have previously written to outline the requirements of the Opticians Act and relevant safety information, including the GOC’s patient leaflets and referred them to the Love Your Lenses website. They can then decide whether to review their sale practices in the light of current information.
“The GOC Communications department will be contacting the press in relation to the article that they have printed in order to clarify the situation.”
Jo added: “ABDO welcomes this response from the GOC – and recognises that changes need to be made within the law for the optical regulator to enforce the regulations on all contact lens companies providing lenses to UK patients.”