At least one New York elected official is calling on the federal government to help its citizens see clearly.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) last Sunday urged the Federal Trade Commission to modernize its “Eyeglass Rule” to allow for 21st-Century competition by allowing patients to obtain a full copy of their eyeglass prescriptions so they can fill them online.
According to Schumer, under current law, patients are not entitled to their full prescription, a situation that often forces them to pay more when buying glasses. The average price for a pair of eyeglasses is $300, the senior Empire State senator said, “and they are becoming harder and harder for many Americans to afford.”
Schumer noted that current regulations limit competition; for example, the rules do not require eye doctors to provide complete prescriptions to patients or to verify prescription information to third party dispensers. Schumer said that this omission can “limit consumer choice and lead to higher prices.” Given the high demand for eyeglasses, Schumer said that consumers should have the ability to shop around in search of a more affordable price and not be limited to the eyeglasses offered in the store where they get their eye exam.
The FTC is currently reviewing the “Eyeglass Rule,” and Schumer said that their update “should require eye care providers to provide complete prescriptions to their patients and opens the door for more competition within the industry, while still protecting patient safety.”
Schumer is pushing the FTC to consider the following changes in order to help lower the cost of eyeglasses, while ensuring that quality and patient safety is protected: Require eye care providers to provide complete eyeglass prescription information to consumers, including specifics like pupillary distance—an essential piece of information consumers need in order to shop around; require prescription providers to verify prescription info for third party sellers in a reasonable time, allowing a consumer to take their prescription wherever they desire with the confidence of getting the right eyeglasses for the right price; and require eyeglass prescriptions to last longer than just one year, so consumers have more time to comparison shop.
“Eyeglasses are a necessity for millions of Americans, yet sky-high prices are making them unaffordable,” said Schumer, who can often be seen wearing his reading glasses. “We need more oversight when it comes to the cost of eyeglasses and one way to do that is to require patients get their full prescriptions so they can shop around in stores and online for the best deal. Consumers need more options when it comes to eyeglasses and that’s why the FTC should update the ‘Eyeglass Rule’ in a way that helps spur competition and dramatically lower prices.”
Asked about Schumer’s proposed revision of the “Eyeglass Rule,” an FTC spokesman said, “As with all suggestions from outside the agency, the FTC gives them careful consideration but doesn’t comment beyond that.”
By Michael V. Cusenza michael@theforumnewsgroup.com
