Updates to the Standards of Practice now in effect
The Professional Standards of Practice and Practice Guidelines for Opticians were updated on January 12, 2026. The updates reflect evolving practice environments and regulatory requirements.
Opticians are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the updated Standards and Guidelines which can be found here on our website.
Read on for a summary of the key changes:
Standard 1: Competence
- Professional judgement: A new guideline clarifies the meaning and application of professional judgement.
Standard 2: Professional Conduct
- Treatment of spouses, sexual partners, family members, or friends: Guidance has been introduced following the amendment to the general regulation that granted opticians a spousal exemption, a guideline to clarify expectations when treating a spouse has been introduced. In addition, as it is something that has not always been clear, guidance around treating family members and friends has been included.
- Sexual abuse: The practice resource relating to sexual abuse has been updated to include the definition of “spouse”
Standard 3: Dispensing of Appropriate Ophthalmic Appliances
- Remote delivery of contact lenses: A new guideline provides considerations for the remote delivery of contact lenses.
- Specialty lenses: Criteria have been added for dispensing specialty lenses such as myopia control, antifatigue, scleral contact lenses, orthokeratology, or low vision devices.
Standard 4: Safety and Infection Control in the Practice Environment
Standard 5: Record Keeping
- Most Responsible Dispenser: A new guideline on documentation has been added to clarify opticians’ responsibilities in multi-dispenser practice environments.
- Selling a practice or retiring: A new guideline has been added to clarify opticians’ responsibilities with respect to patient records when selling a practice and/or retiring.
- Health information custodians and agents: Additional guidance on opticians’ responsibilities with respect to protecting patient personal health information, and specifically on the roles of health information custodian and agents in the practice environment.
Standard 6: Patient Relations
- Discontinuing/declining service: A new guideline on considerations for opticians when discontinuing and/or declining a service.
Standard 7: Remote Practice and Technology
- Artificial Intelligence and technology: Criteria added for integrating technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), into practice with supporting guidelines.
Standard 9: Advertising and Social Media
- Social media and online reviews: New guidance on social media use and responding to online reviews.
Standard 10: Delegation
- Delegation by or to an optician: Updates were made to reflect the discontinuation of the refraction designation and to clarify opticians’ responsibilities when giving or accepting delegation of a controlled act.
