Guidance for therapeutics

Guidance for optometrist prescribers

This Guidance provides advice on the conduct that is expected of optometrist prescribers who are on one of the GOC specialist registers.  If an optometrist deviates from the advice in this document the reason for this should be carefully documented.  If a complaint is made against an optometrist, the General Optical Council’s Fitness to Practise Committee would take account of this document and those to which it makes reference.  The optometrist would be expected to justify any decision to act outside its terms.

How to keep your prescribing evidence

This guidance suggests how you might keep your log of prescribing evidence that is required by the GOC of prescribing registrants. We suggest that it can be collated in different ways, depending on your needs and you can choose whether to use this guidance and our suggested templates.

Measuring temperature

Before measuring a patient’s temperature you should familiarise yourself with the current techniques outlined in this guidance:

Punctum plugs

This guidance gives advice on the issues to bear in mind when prescribing and fitting punctum plugs. It should be read in conjunction with the Clinical Management Guidelines (CMGs) on dry eye.

Links to other resources

• Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
  • Optometrists exemptions
  • Reporting adverse drug reactions
     
• British National Formulary
   
• Electronic Medicines Compendium
   
• Drugs in Lactation
   
• Medicines and prescribing support from NICE