Optometrists Regulations

t REGULATED HEALTH PROFESSIONS ACT OPTOMETRISTS REGULATIONS PLEASE NOTE This document, prepared by the Legislative Counsel Office, is an office consolidation of this regulation, current to June 20, 2026. It is intended for information and reference purposes only. This document is not the official version of these regulations. The regulations and the amendments printed in the Royal Gazette should be consulted on the Prince Edward Island Government web site to determine the authoritative text of these regulations. For more information concerning the history of these regulations, please see the Table of Regulations on the Prince Edward Island Government web site (www.princeedwardisland.ca). If you find any errors or omissions in this consolidation, please contact: Legislative Counsel Office Tel: (902) 368-4292 Email: legislation@gov.pe.ca Optometrists Regulations Table of Contents OPTOMETRISTS REGULATIONS Table of Contents Section Page PART 1 - INTERPRETATION 5 1. Definitions................................................................................................................................................ 5 2. Designation .............................................................................................................................................. 5 3. College continued .................................................................................................................................... 6 PART 2 - REGISTRATION 6 REGISTER 6 4. Parts of register ........................................................................................................................................ 6 GENERAL REGISTRATION 6 5. General registration .................................................................................................................................. 6 6. Education ................................................................................................................................................. 6 7. Examinations ............................................................................................................................................ 6 8. Currency of professional knowledge and skills ....................................................................................... 7 9. Insurance .................................................................................................................................................. 7 10. Additional requirements ........................................................................................................................... 7 PROVISIONAL REGISTRATION 7 10.1 Provisional Registration ........................................................................................................................... 7 SPECIAL REGISTRATION 8 11. Special registration ................................................................................................................................... 8 PART 3 - DESIGNATIONS AND RESERVED ACTIVITIES 8 12. Designations of a member ........................................................................................................................ 8 13. Reserved activities ................................................................................................................................... 8 14. Special authorization ................................................................................................................................ 9 PART 4 - GENERAL 10 15. Name of corporation .............................................................................................................................. 10 16. Exception, corporation ........................................................................................................................... 10 c t Current to: June 20, 2026 Page 3 PART 1 - INTERPRETATION Optometrists Regulations Section 1 REGULATED HEALTH PROFESSIONS ACT CHAPTER R-10.1 OPTOMETRISTS REGULATIONS Pursuant to sections 2 and 96 of the Regulated Health Professions Act R.S.P.E.I. 1988, Cap. R-10.1, Council made the following regulations: PART 1 - INTERPRETATION 1. Definitions In these regulations, (a) “Act” means the Regulated Health Professions Act R.S.P.E.I. 1988, Cap. R-10.1; (b) “College” means the Prince Edward Island College of Optometrists continued under section 3; (c) “Council” means the Council of the College; (d) “former Act” means the Optometry Act R.S.P.E.I. 1988 Cap. 0-6; (e) “optometrist” means a person who is registered in the optometry register; (f) “optometry” means the health profession in which a person applies particular knowledge, skills and judgment in providing optometry services to another person, including (i) examining the human eye and its adnexa using instruments, devices or diagnostic drugs to diagnose visual defects or abnormal conditions, (ii) treating visual defects or abnormal conditions of the human eye or its adnexa by non-surgical means, including the prescription or application of lenses or other devices and the use of therapeutic drugs, (iii) removing superficial foreign bodies from the human eye or its adnexa, and (iv) participating in research, education, management or administrative activities incidental to those described in subclauses (i) to (iii). (EC39/24) 2. Designation Optometry is designated as a regulated health profession. (EC39/24) c t Current to: June 20, 2026 Page 5 PART 2 - REGISTRATION Section 3 Optometrists Regulations 3. College continued The Prince Edward Island College of Optometrists established under the former Act is continued as the college for optometry. (EC39/24) PART 2 - REGISTRATION Register 4. Parts of register The register for optometry is divided into the following parts: (a) general registration; (a.1) provisional registration; (b) special registration. (EC39/24; 678/26) General Registration 5. General registration (1) The registrar shall register an applicant in the general registration part where (a) the registrar is satisfied that the applicant meets all the requirements for registration set out in subsection 12(2) of the Act and these regulations and registers the applicant pursuant to subsection 12(3) of the Act; or (b) the Council directs the registrar to register the applicant pursuant to subsection 12(6) of the Act or reinstate the registration of the applicant pursuant to subsection 24(4) of the Act. Reinstatement period (2) For the purpose of subsection 24(1) of the Act, an optometrist may apply for reinstatement of registration in the general registration part within three years after a lapse in the registration. (EC39/24) 6. Education For the purpose of clause 12(2)(c) of the Act, an applicant shall have successfully completed (a) a degree program in optometry accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education or approved by the Council; or (b) education that the Federation of Optometric Regulatory Authorities of Canada considers substantially equivalent to a program in clause (a). (EC39/24) 7. Examinations For the purpose of clause 12(2)(d) of the Act, an applicant shall have successfully completed the entry-to-practice competency examination administered by the Optometry Examining Board of Canada or another competency examination approved by the Council. (EC39/24) Page 6 Current to: June 20, 2026 t c PART 2 - REGISTRATION Optometrists Regulations Section 8 8. Currency of professional knowledge and skills (1) For the purpose of clause 12(2)(f), subclause 22(2)(a)(ii) and clause 24(4)(c) of the Act, an applicant shall have done one of the following within the three years preceding the application to demonstrate currency of professional knowledge and skills: (a) successfully completed the educational requirement set out in section 6; (b) actively practised optometry, as an optometrist authorized by law to practise without any restrictions, for at least 750 hours; (c) successfully completed a refresher program in optometry satisfactory to the registrar. Failure to demonstrate currency (2) Where an applicant fails to demonstrate currency under subsection (1), the Council may require the applicant to successfully complete a refresher program in optometry approved by the Council within the time period specified by the Council. (EC39/24) 9. Insurance (1) For the purpose of clause 12(2)(j), subclause 22(2)(a)(v) and clauses 24(4)(f) and 25(3)(c) of the Act, an applicant or optometrist, as the case may be, is required to hold or be covered by professional liability insurance under a policy that provides coverage of not less than $2,000,000 per claim or occurrence and an aggregate limit of not less than $2,000,000, excluding legal or court costs. Valid certificate required (2) The applicant or optometrist shall provide or ensure the registrar is provided with the most current certificate of professional liability insurance issued by the insurer that confirms the applicant or optometrist is insured under a policy that meets the requirements of subsection (1). (EC39/24) 10. Additional requirements For the purpose of clause 12(2)(k), subclause 22(2)(a)(v.1) and clause 24(4)(g) of the Act, an applicant shall hold current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid. (EC39/24) Provisional Registration 10.1 Provisional Registration (1) Where an applicant for registration in the general registration part does not meet the examination requirement in section 7, the Council may direct the registrar to register the applicant in the provisional registration part, subject to the term or condition that the applicant successfully completes the examination requirement in section 7 within a specified time. Renewal (2) Registration in the provisional registration part under subsection (1) may be renewed where the time specified by the Council has not expired or the Council extends the time for meeting the term or condition, and sections 8 and 9 apply. c t Current to: June 20, 2026 Page 7 PART 3 - DESIGNATIONS AND RESERVED ACTIVITIES Section 11 Optometrists Regulations Subject to supervision (3) An optometrist registered in the provisional registration part shall be supervised in practising optometry by an optometrist registered in the general class or special class, approved by the Council. Satisfaction of term or condition (4) Where an optometrist satisfies the term or condition imposed under subsection (1), the registrar shall register the optometrist in the general registration part. No reinstatement (5) Registration in the provisional registration part may not be reinstated. (EC678/26) Special Registration 11. Special registration (1) Where the Council directs the registrar to register an applicant pursuant to subsection 13(3) of the Act, the registrar shall register the applicant in the special registration part. No renewal or reinstatement (2) Special registration may not be renewed or reinstated. (EC39/24) PART 3 - DESIGNATIONS AND RESERVED ACTIVITIES 12. Designations of a member For the purpose of subsection 89(1) of the Act, the designations of an optometrist include the title “optometrist”. (EC39/24) 13. Reserved activities Subject to any terms or conditions imposed on the optometrist’s registration, an optometrist is authorized to perform the following reserved activities: (a) diagnosing a disease, disorder or condition of the human eye or its adnexa, other than glaucoma, and communicating the diagnosis in circumstances in which it is reasonably foreseeable that it will be relied on in health care decisions; (b) applying electrical or electromagnetic energy to diagnose or treat a disease, disorder or condition of the human eye or its adnexa; (b.1) applying sound energy to diagnose a disease, disorder or condition of the human eye or its adnexa; (b.2) ordering and interpreting genetic screening tests to predict the risk of age-related macular degeneration; (c) prescribing, dispensing, selling or administering topical drugs, other than anti- glaucoma drugs, to diagnose or treat a disease, disorder or condition of the human eye or its adnexa, other than glaucoma; (d) removing a superficial foreign body from the human eye or its adnexa; Page 8 Current to: June 20, 2026 t c PART 3 - DESIGNATIONS AND RESERVED ACTIVITIES Optometrists Regulations Section 14 (e) prescribing or dispensing, for vision or eye problems, subnormal vision devices, corrective or non-corrective contact lenses or eye glasses other than simple magnifiers. (EC39/24; 678/26) 14. Special authorization (1) An optometrist may apply to the registrar, in the form approved by the Council, for special authorization to perform any of the following reserved activities: (a) diagnosing glaucoma and communicating the diagnosis in circumstances in which it is reasonably foreseeable that it will be relied on in health care decisions; (b) prescribing or administering a Schedule 1 drug, as defined in the Pharmacy Act R.S.P.E.I. 1988, Cap. P-6.1, to treat and manage glaucoma or for a purpose incidental to optometry. (c) revoked by EC678/26. Eligibility (2) An applicant is eligible for special authorization to perform a reserved activity referred to in subsection (1), if the applicant successfully completed (a) the education required in section 6 and the examination required in section 7, on or after January 1, 2025, or (b) an advanced scope certificate course, approved by the Council. Granting of special authorization (3) On receipt and review of an application made in accordance with subsection (1), the registrar may, if the registrar is satisfied the applicant is eligible in accordance with subsection (2), (a) grant the applicant special authorization to perform the reserved activity or activities; and (b) note the special authorization in the register in relation to the optometrist and on the optometrist’s certificate of registration. Referral to the Council (4) Where the registrar is not satisfied that the applicant is eligible in accordance with subsection (2), the registrar shall refer the application to the Council. Review by the Council (5) On receipt of an application referred by the registrar, the Council shall review the application and may (a) direct the registrar to (i) grant the applicant special authorization to perform the reserved activity or activities, and (ii) note the special authorization in the register in relation to the optometrist and on the optometrist’s certificate of registration; and (b) impose any terms and conditions on the special authorization that the Council considers appropriate. Notice (6) Where the Council refuses to grant special authorization, the Council shall serve on the applicant written notice of, and reasons for, the refusal. c t Current to: June 20, 2026 Page 9 PART 4 - GENERAL Section 15 Optometrists Regulations Suspension, cancellation, expiration, renewal (7) Special authorization granted under this section is suspended or cancelled, or expires, on the suspension, cancellation or expiration of the optometrist’s registration, as the case may be, and may be renewed on renewal of the optometrist’s registration. (EC39/24; 678/26) PART 4 - GENERAL 15. Name of corporation (1) For the purpose of clause 15(2)(d) of the Act, the name of a corporation applying for a permit to carry on the business of providing the professional services of an optometrist shall be, in the opinion of the registrar, in good taste, dignified and professional. Change of name (2) Before changing its name, a health profession corporation shall obtain written confirmation from the registrar that the proposed name meets the requirements of subsection (1). (EC39/24) 16. Exception, corporation The prohibition in subsection 90(1) of the Act does not apply in respect of a corporation other than a health profession corporation carrying on the business of providing the professional services of an optometrist. (EC39/24) Page 10 Current to: June 20, 2026 t c