RIGHT & PRIVILEGES OF REGISTERED MEMBERS

1. The provisions of the constitution of the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA): the Association of Nigerian Dispensing Opticians (ANDO): their bye-laws and standing orders are binding on every registered member of both professions consequently, every financial member enjoys all rights and privileges as enunciated in their respective constitutions, bye-laws, and standing orders.
2. Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians must see themselves as partners whose professional activities complement one another. The board therefore expects that they must work together in harmony as members of the eye care team.
3. There should be mutual respect for one another at all times. In particular, junior members in both professions should accord due respect to their senior colleagues. Similarly, senior colleagues should avoid oppressive acts in their dealings with junior colleagues.
4. Every registered member should cultivate the habit of paying all prescribed fees/levies, including annual license renewal fees on schedule.
5. Relationships between professional colleagues should be based on ‘spirit de corps” even in the charging of fees for professional services rendered.
6. The State Chairman of both Associations (NOA & ANDO) should encourage practitioners to agree on minimum charges for all professional services in their state.
7. A registered member should not make derogatory remarks/statements on the examination/treatment procedure of another registered member in the presence of a patient or any member of the public.
8. A registered member should not make derogatory remarks on the examination/treatment procedures of other health practitioners (e.g., General practitioner, Ophthalmologist, etc.) in the presence of a patient or any member of the public.
9. A registered member should not instigate a patient to initiate legal proceedings against another registered member but should report any act of malpractice to the Association or Board.
10. Advertisement of professional services is prohibited in any medium (i.e., print or electronic).
11. The location of an Optometry clinic should not be in the midst of lock-up shops. Neither is any form the eye examination allowed in such environments.
12. The Dispensing Optician’s shop should not be domiciled within an open market. Neither is the sale of prescribed lenses allowed in such locations.
13. The signboard indicating the business location must not exceed the approved specifications by the Board.
14. Where human subjects are examined for research work, there must be evidence of ‘informed consent’. They have a right to know the benefits or hazards that may be associated with any experimental work.
15. Practitioners are advised to regularly update their professional knowledge and skills by attending Annual Conferences, Annual General Meetings, board-approved Continuing Education (CE) programs, and seminars/workshops of relevant professional associations for the renewal of annual practicing licenses.
16. Optometrists are allowed to own a practice after a minimum of three (3) years post NYSC compliance with the minimum as specified by the Board.
17. Dispensing Opticians are allowed to own an ophthalmic laboratory after a minimum of four (4) years post-qualification in compliance with the board.
18. Only optometrists with a minimum of five (5) years post-NYSC are allowed to supervise interns in public or private clinics.
19. Only Dispensing Opticians with a minimum of six (6) years post qualification are allowed to supervise those on Supervised Ophthalmic Laboratory Experience (SOLE).
20. Fellows of the Nigeria College of Optometrists (FNCO) are specialists (consultants) in their chosen fields. They are clinically superior in status to non-fellows, irrespective of year of graduation.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRACTITIONER & PATIENT.

1. Every piece of information obtained from a patient (e.g., history, examination, disposition, etc) is strictly confidential and must not be disclosed to a third party without the patient’s consent, however, such information may be disclosed to law enforcement agencies of the state if officially demanded.
2. Every patient must be given equal /full professional attention no matter their social status, age, sex, or religion.
3. Every patient has the right to know the form of treatment required for his eye condition including the name(s) of medication (s) given (where applicable). The practitioner must explain such conditions to the understanding of the patient.
4. A patient reserves the right to accept or reject a particular form of treatment on religious grounds. However, a situation where a patient rejects a normal course of treatment for whatever reason should be properly documented in the patient’s record card and signed by the patient.
5. Where a patient is referred from one colleague to another the recipient must give feedback on findings to the referee. Ditto in situations where a patient is referred to other health practitioners.
6. There must be a cordial working relationship between eye-care practitioners and other healthcare practitioners.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRACTITIONER & OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

1. Professional courtesies must be observed at all times in our dealings with other healthcare providers this must however be based on trust and mutual respect in the spirit of co-management which is the general trend in modern healthcare.
2. Prompt referral must be made in a situation where an eye or health condition requires immediate intervention of other eye or health care practitioners.
3. A professional act of negligence is when a practitioner fails to treat a patient with the standard of care and skill commensurate with his/her training, qualifications, and experience It is the practitioner’s duty of care to avoid any form of injury to a patient, to forestall litigation.