An individual shall apply for registration as a registered contact lens dispenser on forms prescribed by the board. The board shall register an individual as a registered contact lens dispenser upon satisfactory proof that the individual has passed the contact lens registry examination of the National Committee of Contact Lens Examiners or any successor agency to that committee. In the event the board should ever find after hearing that the registry examination is not appropriate to determine entry level competence as a contact lens dispenser or is not designed to measure specific job performance requirements, the board may thereafter from time to time prescribe or administer a written examination that meets those specifications. If an applicant for renewal has not engaged in the full-time or substantial part-time practice of fitting and adjusting contact lenses within the last five years then the board may require the applicant to take and pass the examination referred to in this section as a condition of registration. Any examination administered by the board shall be given at least twice each year on dates publicly announced at least 90 days before the examination dates. The board is authorized to contract with the National Committee of Contact Lens Examiners or any successor agency to that committee to provide that the registry examination is given at least twice each year on dates publicly announced at least 90 days before the examination dates.

The board may deny registration where there are grounds for denial under the provisions of Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 475).

The board shall issue a certificate to each qualified individual stating that the individual is a registered contact lens dispenser.

A registered contact lens dispenser may use that designation, but shall not hold himself or herself out in advertisements or otherwise as a specialist in fitting and adjusting contact lenses.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 489, Sec. 25. (SB 1478) Effective January 1, 2017.)