West Virginia Code 30-8-1 – Unlawful acts
(a) It is unlawful for any person to practice or offer to practice optometry in this state without a license or permit issued under the provisions of this article, or advertise or use any title or description tending to convey the impression that they are an optometrist unless the person has been duly licensed or permitted under the provisions of this article.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 30-8-1
- Business entity: means any firm, partnership, association, company, corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company or other entity owned by licensees that practices optometry. See West Virginia Code 30-8-3
- License: means a license to practice optometry. See West Virginia Code 30-8-3
- Licensee: means an optometrist licensed under the provisions of this article. See West Virginia Code 30-8-3
- permit: means a permit issued to a person who has graduated from an approved school, has taken the examination prescribed by the board, and is awaiting the results of the examination. See West Virginia Code 30-8-3
- Permittee: means a person holding a temporary permit. See West Virginia Code 30-8-3
- Practice of optometry: means the examining, diagnosing and treating of any visual defect or abnormal condition of the human eye or its appendages within the scope established in this article or associated rules. See West Virginia Code 30-8-3
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
(b) A business entity may not render any service or engage in any activity which, if rendered or engaged in by an individual, would constitute the practice of optometry, except through a licensee or permittee.
(c) A licensee may not practice optometry as an employee of any commercial or mercantile establishment.
(d) A licensee may not practice optometry on premises not separate from premises whereon eyeglasses, lenses, eyeglass frames or any other merchandise or products are sold by any other person. For the purposes of this section, any room or suite of rooms in which optometry is practiced shall be considered separate premises if it has a separate and direct entrance from a street or public hallway or corridor within a building, which corridor is partitioned off by partitions from floor to ceiling.
(e) A person who is not licensed under this article as an optometrist may not characterize himself or herself as an "optometrist" or "doctor of optometry" nor may a person use the designation "OD".