Liability issues in contact lens practice

Professional liability issues are an important consideration for clinicians who fit and dispense contact lenses. Among the most important are legal requirements related to patient consent, guarantees concerning materials or services, emergency care, instructions given to patients, termination of care by the doctor, information or services given by employees, and documentation of examination findings, instructions, and recall appointments. Optometrists should observe legal guidelines in order to minimize the risk of injury to patients and to reduce the opportunity for litigation.