Upon the request of a patient for whom an optometrist has prescribed spectacle lenses, the optometrist shall issue the prescription and deliver a copy to the patient. A spectacle lens prescription expires on the date specified by the optometrist, based upon the medical judgment of the optometrist with respect to the ocular health of the patient. If a prescription expires in less than one year, the reasons for the expiration date must be documented in the patient's medical record. An optometrist may not specify a prescription expiration date that is earlier than the date on which reexamination of the patient is medically necessary. Requests for medical records are governed by SDCL 36-2-16.

Source: SL 1975, ch 16, § 1; 6 SDR 66, effective January 8, 1980; 12 SDR 78, effective November 10, 1985; 12 SDR 151, 12 SDR 155, effective July 1, 1986 ; 44 SDR 99, effective December 11, 2017 ; 46 SDR 119, effective May 4, 2020 ; 49 SDR 12, effective August 14, 2022 .

General Authority: SDCL 36-7-15 (2) .

Law Implemented: SDCL 36-7-1 , 36-7-1 5( 2 ).

Prior versions effective: 2020-05-04, 2017-12-11, 1986-07-01.