Press Releases 2001
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 20, 2001
For more information, please contact: Ed Schilling (800) 884-4CLC or email

BUYER BEWARE:
Use Caution When Ordering Contact Lenses Online

Washington, DC...The Contact Lens Council (CLC) has issued a warning to anyone ordering contact lenses online, advising against e-commerce with unauthorized sites and stressing the need for purchases with a valid prescription only.

The Contact Lens Institute, an association of contact lens and solutions manufacturers, is currently considering introducing federal legislation to prevent the dispersal of contact lenses without a valid prescription. The proposed legislation, entitled "Prescription Integrity Act of 2000," has been written, but is still under deliberation. The legislation would require anyone dispensing contact lenses to have a hard copy of the prescription or to call the eyecare practitioner to confirm that the prescription is in effect and not expired.

"Until the law is passed, we are harnessing our efforts to warn Internet shoppers of the potential gambles they may take online," said Ed Schilling, executive director of the CLC. "While e-commerce may provide timesaving conveniences for those with hectic lifestyles, it is important to remember that contact lenses are medical devices that require proper fitting, wear, and care," Schilling urges.

The CLC recommends the following when purchasing online:
  • Continue your regular eye-health screenings by an eyecare professional.
  • Check and double-check the order for any typing errors before you submit it.
  • Do not request or accept a substitute for the prescribed lens without checking with your eyecare practitioner first.
  • Check the expiration date on the product immediately upon receipt of order.
  • Make sure your prescription is current and has not expired before placing your order. A legitimate distributor should confirm this with every order.
  • And finally, if a problem results from the order, visit your eyecare professional immediately.


    • The CLC, a non-profit organization serving as an educational resource on vision correction, is dedicated to promoting the safe use of contact lenses and lens care products. The CLC information line is a free service offering customers the most up-to-date information on contact lenses and lens care products.

    The American Optometric Association, Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists, and the Contact Lens Society of America are advisory members of the CLC. The CLC is sponsored by Alcon Laboratories, Allergan Optical, Bausch & Lomb, Biocompatibles, CIBA Vision, Cooper Vision, Vistakon, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc., and Wesley Jessen. For more information on contact lenses, please contact the Contact Lens Council (CLC) at 1-800-884-4CLC or on the internet at: www.contactlenscouncil.org




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