(a) Any licensed optician and any optical department in any establishment, office or store may apply to the Department of Public Health for a registration certificate to sell at retail optical glasses and instruments from given formulas and to make and dispense reproductions of the same, in a shop, store, optical establishment or office owned and managed by a licensed optician as defined in § 20-145 or where the optical department thereof is under the supervision of such a licensed optician, and said registration shall be designated as an optical selling permit. Said department shall grant such permits for a period not exceeding one year, upon the payment of a fee of three hundred fifteen dollars, and upon satisfactory evidence to said department that such optical establishment, office or store is being conducted in accordance with the regulations adopted under this chapter. Such permit shall be conspicuously posted within such optical establishment, office or store. All permits issued under the provisions of this chapter shall expire on September first in each year.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to require a permit from the Department of Public Health for an ophthalmic science educational program offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education operating an optical establishment for the purpose of providing practical training to students enrolled in such program.