Successful Apprehension of Ambulant Practitioners in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan Vally Province

Congratulations to the OAP Cagayan Valley Optometric Society under the leadership of local Society President Dr. Cheryse Maccababbad and Dr. Narita Baccay - National Board of Trustee and its members for the successful apprehension of ambulant practitioners in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan Vally Province. This initiative aligns with the continuing campaign of the Optometric Association of the Philippines, Inc. (OAP) to eradicate Illegal and Unethical practices within the Philippine Optometry Profession.

UNDER OPTOMETRY LAW RA8050

Section 5 - Prohibited Acts

No person is authorized to practice Optometry or perform acts constituting the practice, like the examination of the human eye, fitting and dispensing eyeglasses, contact lenses & its solutions, etc. as described in Section 4 of the RA8o5o, without a license or having been first admitted to the practice of this profession.

Board of Optometry Code of Ethics
Article III
DUTIES OF OPTOMETRISTS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Section 6. The following are deemed among others, to be unethical and are deemed to constitute unprofessional conduct:
b. The employment of lay persons to perform visual examination.
c. Performing optometric examination outside of the regular office, unless he shall have received an unsolicited request to make such an examination.
f. Holding ones- self forth to the public under the name of any corporation, company, institution, clinic, association, parlor, or any other name than the name of the optometrist.
g. Soliciting patients directly or indirectly, individually or collectively through the guise of groups, institutions and organizations. n. House to house canvassing or solicitations by optometrists or their employees, or the payment of any remuneration, directly or indirectly, by money or otherwise, to any person, firm, partnership, association, or corporations for securing patients for an optometrist.

IRR No. 11 Series of 2016

Section 41- Professional Practice

The practice of optometry shall be governed by the highest standards of professionalism with the aim of promoting the visual welfare of the public and the best standards of professional care.

b) An Optometrist shall not examine patients outside his/her regular office/clinic unless an unsolicited request is made for patients who are not ambulant or occupational reasons and are unable to visit the optometrist's regular office/clinic.