15 USC 7604 – Expiration of contact lens prescriptions
(a) In general
A contact lens prescription shall expire—
(1) on the date specified by the law of the State in which the prescription was written, if that date is one year or more after the issue date of the prescription;
(2) not less than one year after the issue date of the prescription if such State law specifies no date or a date that is less than one year after the issue date of the prescription; or
(3) notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), on the date specified by the prescriber, if that date is based on the medical judgment of the prescriber with respect to the ocular health of the patient.
(b) Special rules for prescriptions of less than 1 year
Terms Used In 15 USC 7604
- contact lens prescription: means a prescription, issued in accordance with State and Federal law, that contains sufficient information for the complete and accurate filling of a prescription, including the following:
(A) Name of the patient. See 15 USC 7610
- prescriber: means , with respect to contact lens prescriptions, an ophthalmologist, optometrist, or other person permitted under State law to issue prescriptions for contact lenses in compliance with any applicable requirements established by the Food and Drug Administration. See 15 USC 7610
- State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7
If a prescription expires in less than 1 year, the reasons for the judgment referred to in subsection (a)(3) shall be documented in the patient’s medical record. In no circumstance shall the prescription expiration date be less than the period of time recommended by the prescriber for a reexamination of the patient that is medically necessary.
(c) Definition
As used in this section, the term “issue date” means the date on which the patient receives a copy of the prescription.