About the FOA| Doctors| Ophthalmic Professionals| Students and Educators| Media Center

Vitamins Quiz

Vitamins

Can an O.D. sell, recommend, or administer to a patient an over the counter [non-prescription] oral vitamin or supplement that is directly related to the correction, remedy, or relief of any insufficiency or abnormality in the patient’s ocular health?”

BACKGROUND:

Subsection 463.002 (5), Florida Statutes (Optometric Practice Act) defines the practice of optometry to include the use of lenses, prisms, frames, mountings, contact lenses, orthoptic exercises, light frequencies, and any other means or methods for the correction, remedy, or relief of any insufficiencies or abnormal conditions of the human eyes and their appendages. Chapter 463.014 (3), Florida Statutes (Optometric Practice Act) prohibits an Optometrist from prescribing, ordering, dispensing, administering, supplying, selling, or giving any systemic drug. Chapter 465.003 (8), Florida Statutes (Pharmacy Practice Act)…defines “drug” as a prescription or legend drug requiring a prescription and excludes patent or proprietary preparations than can be sold directly to the public without a prescription.

ANSWER:

IF:

If an Optometrist is administering, selling, recommending an over-the-counter [non-prescription] oral vitamin or supplements strictly for the purpose of the correction, remedy, or relief of any insufficiency or abnormal conditions of the patient’s eyes and their appendages, it is not prohibited under Chapter 463, Florida Statutes (Optometric Practice Act).

If an Optometrist is administering, selling, recommending an over-the-counter [non-prescription] vitamin or supplement for purposes other than the correction, remedy, or relief of any insufficiency or abnormal conditions of the patient’s eyes and their appendages, this practice would be prohibited as being beyond the scope of practice of Optometry.