For Internationally Educated Opticians

January 08, 2018

To: All Dispensary

From:  Carol Ellerbeck, Registrar, Opticians of Manitoba (OOM)

Re: Update – OOM records re opticians’ places of employment and License of Record Information

The Opticians of Manitoba is now in the process of updating our records and request that you complete the attached form for the dispensary.

If you are an optometric practice, we realize that you are not required to provide this information to us but we would still request that you do so about the opticians that you employ, so that we can ensure our records regarding opticians’ places of employment is correct.

Please attach any policies and or procedures that you have in place which address the operations of the dispensary when there is no Licensed Optician or Contact Lens Licensed Optician on the premises.

In keeping with the bylaws of the OOM, a written response to this enquiry must be received within ten (10) days of receipt of this letter and no later than JANUARY 31, 2018. Please mail the completed form to the contact information noted below. Please do not fax or email the form as original signatures are required.

Please note that all Licenses of Record, Licensed Opticians and dispensaries where optical dispensing is carried out must comply with the following OOM bylaws and the policy on Licensing. Effective March 1, 2017 the OOM Council has approved a penalty of $100.00 for each occurrence of non- compliance by an optician or dispensary with any of these bylaws or the policy.

• Every member who becomes or ceases to be a License of Record at an optical dispensary must notify the Registrar within 14 days of that change.

This can be done by telephone, fax, email or in person at the OOM office.

• All Licensed Opticians whether they are the License of Record or not, are required to report any change in employment address within 14 days of the change.

  This can be done by telephone, fax, email or in person at the OOM office.

• Every licensed ophthalmic dispenser who owns manages or controls a practice or business of ophthalmic dispensing shall maintain a record of the licensed members who are responsible for any practice or business of ophthalmic dispensing which the said ophthalmic dispenser owns manages or controls.

All licenses of record/ managers/ owners must check to ensure that every licensed optician employed in the dispensary has a valid license for 2018. The validity and expiry dates for the 2018 licenses appear in the area shaded blue at the bottom of the opticians’ 2018 license cards. Each student working in the dispensary must also display a valid student registration card for 2018. You can also check the status of an optician’s license by calling  or emailing the office at 204-222-8404, oom@optm.ca or by going to the Opticians of Manitoba website opticiansofmanitoba.ca. Click on Find an Optician on the Home Page and the 2018  Directory of Opticians will open. Click on the brown box labelled Find in the lower right hand corner. An alphabetical list will appear of all of the Opticians in Manitoba. The list includes their status and contact information.

• All practices and each location where ophthalmic dispensing is carried out must display a notice identifying the current license of record.

It is up to each dispensary to select the format/design, size, colour etc. for the sign that they wish to display however at a minimum the sign must state that “The License of Record/Manager of the Dispensary is (the name of the optician)” If a dispensary would like to use the enclosed template for their sign however, they can contact the OOM office or order their sign directly from the designer at milton@onebranddesign.net

• Displaying Certificate of Practice/License. A member who holds a current valid Certificate of Practice/ License must wear the Certificate/license in a conspicuous place on their clothing while on the premises in which the member conducts his or her practice. Members who fail to comply with this requirement will be subject to disciplinary action.

If a member’s license card is lost or damaged, a replacement can be obtained by contacting the OOM office by phone at (204) 222-8404 or by email oom@optm.ca

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us and thank you for your cooperation.