It is the interpretation of the board that the Texas Optometry Act requires that the fitting of contact lenses may be done only by a licensed physician, optometrist, or therapeutic optometrist and that ophthalmic dispensers may make mechanical adjustments to contact lenses and dispense contact lenses only after receipt of a fully written contact lens prescription from a licensed optometrist, therapeutic optometrist, or a licensed physician (Texas Optometry Act, §1.02), that includes the specifications listed in §279.1 of this title (relating to Board Interpretation Number One) (Texas Optometry Act, §1.02), whereupon the ophthalmic dispenser may fabricate or order the contact lenses and dispense them to the patient with appropriate instructions for the care and handling of the lenses, but an ophthalmic dispenser shall make no measurement of the eye or the cornea or evaluate the physical fit of the contact lenses, by any means whatever, subject solely and only to the exception contained in the Act, §5.17.

Source Note:The provisions of this §279.2 adopted to be effective August 11, 1983, 8 TexReg 2934; amended to be effective September 10, 1993, 18 TexReg 5745.