Practitioners

Persons wishing to practice in New Zealand as an optometrist or dispensing optician must, by law, be registered with the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board, hold a current practising certificate issued by the Board, and practise within a Scope of Practice approved by the Board.

The legislation concerned (the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003) makes it an offence punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 for:

· Unregistered persons to state or imply that they are an optometrist or dispensing optician, or

· Any persons to claim or suggest that they are practising as an optometrist or dispensing optician unless they are registered and hold a current practising certificate.

The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 also allows for certain specified activities to be restricted to registered health practitioners, in order to protect members of the public from the risk of serious or permanent harm.

One of these activities is restricted to optometry:

· Prescribing of an ophthalmic appliance, optical appliance or ophthalmic medical device intended for remedial or cosmetic purposes or for the correction of a defect of sight.

This restriction is intended to address the significant risk of asymptomatic eye disease associated with the dispensing of an ophthalmic appliance, optical appliance or ophthalmic medical device, without the first step of a diagnosis by a registered health practitioner.

A registered health practitioner, whose scope of practice clearly countenances that restricted activity, may carry it out. It is illegal for other persons to do so, involving a fine on conviction of up to $30,000.