College of Opticians of Ontario
90 Adelaide St W Suite 300 M5H 3V9 Toronto, ON, Canada

With new variants of COVID 19, especially the B117 variant, which has a higher transmission rate, opticians need to remain diligent. Continuing to use PPE and proper disinfection protocols will minimize the risk of infection for everyone. Check your regional public health guidelines for relevant updates in your area. #COO #opticians #opicianry #eyecare #eyehealth #ontario #COVID19

Interested in becoming more involved with the COO? Consider applying to be a Peer and Practice Assessor. For more information about what’s involved, visit our website here: https://collegeofopticians.ca/re/get-involved/peer-assessor #COO #Opticians #opicianry #eyecare #eyehealth #ontario

Here are the December Board meeting Highlights at a glance. To see the full highlights click here: https://collegeofopticians.ca//files/2020-12-07%20Highligh #COO #opticians #opicianry #eyecare #eyehealth #ontario

Curious about your RO? Check the Public Register for any restrictions, disciplinary actions, business contact information and more. Click on the link to access an easy-to-use tool that provides detailed information about opticians in Ontario: https://members.collegeofopticians.ca//PublicR/Search.aspx #COO #opticians #opicianry #eyecare #eyehealth #ontario

Our office will close at noon on Dec 24 until Dec 28. Our regular office hours will resume on Tuesday, Dec 29. #COO #opticians #opticianry #eyecare #holidayhours #happyholidays2020

As of Saturday, December 26, opticians can remain open but are required to work by appointment only. Click here https://collegeofopticians.ca/covid-19 to visit our COVID-19 page. For more information read the Provincewide shutdown Information Sheet https://files.ontario.ca/moh-provincewide-shutdown-en-2020- #COO #opticians #eyecare #Eyehealth #opticianry #COVID19 #Ontariolockdown

As of Saturday, December 26, opticians can remain open but are required to work by appointment only. Click here https://collegeofopticians.ca/covid-19 to visit our COVID-19 page. For more information read the Provincewide shutdown Information Sheet https://files.ontario.ca/moh-provincewide-shutdown-en-2020- #COO #opticians #eyecare #Eyehealth #opticianry #COVID19 #Ontariolockdown

We know some registrants have questions about the rules for optical stores during the shutdown (e.g. appointments). We are working with the Ministry of Health to get clarification and will post more information as soon as it becomes available.

The voting closed in the District 5, 2021 Board Election on November 9, at noon. Congratulations to Ms. Dorina Reiz. Ms. Reiz will begin serving a three-year term of office effective January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023. For more information, visit our website. https://collegeofopticians.ca//get-involved/board-elections

Be careful about receiving care from unauthorized practitioners. Check the Public Register to make sure your eyecare provider is a Registered Optician. There are risks involved when accepting care from unregulated practitioners. Learn more: https://collegeofopticians.ca/public/unauthorized-practice

As the end of the year approaches, it’s a good time to review your QA requirements and make sure you have completed your CE for 2020. You still have a few weeks to get caught up on any missing CE hours. All ROs are required to upload their CE to the registrant portal by December 31 Contact us at [email protected] if you need assistance. Learn more: https://collegeofopticians.ca//r/quality-assurance-program #COO #eyecare #opticians #eyehealth #opticianry

Interested in practicing opticianry in 2021? The December 31 deadline for membership renewal is fast approaching. Renew your membership today to avoid late fees. If you need assistance, please contact us at [email protected] Renew today: https://bit.ly/3oW2LSZ #opticians #eyecare #eyehealth #Coo #ontario #opticianry

We want to hear from you! The College has developed a new draft Standard of Practice and Practice Guidelines: Standard 10 - Delegation. This Standard will set the expectations for all opticians who delegate to non-opticians, or who receive delegation from other health professionals (e.g. optometrists). Reading the document and completing the survey can be counted towards your self-directed CE for the year. The Clinical Practice Committee, and the Board will consider your feedback carefully. Complete the survey, on or before November 14 by following this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/delegationstandard For more information about the standard, click here: https://collegeofopticians.ca//Delegation%20Survey%20Intro #COO #EyeCare #opticians #EyeHealth #opticianry

With the year nearing its end, it’s a good time to review your QA requirements and make sure you have completed everything for 2020. You still have a few weeks to get caught up on any missing CE hours. Learn more: https://bit.ly/346H3DP #COO #opticians #eyecare #eyehealth

Planning to make decorative contact lenses part of your Halloween costume this year? If not used correctly, decorative contact lenses can cause infections. Talk to an eye-care professional for fitting advice. When it comes to decorative contact lenses, Health Canada recommends using a contact lens licensed by Health Canada, cleaning and disinfecting them appropriately, never sleeping with them on, and never sharing them with others. It’s also important that the contact lens solution is changed every 30 days. For more information read our blog post: https://collegeofopticians.ca//no-costume-is-worth-the-ris #COO #eyecare #opticians #ontario #eyehealth #trust #opticianry #opticianlife

Did you know your personal health information is protected by law in Ontario? In 2004, the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), was introduced to ensure clarity and consistency amongst all health care providers when it comes to the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of your personal health information. Click on the link to read our blog post for more information about obtaining your personal health information from your optician: https://bit.ly/3k2jnWn #COO #eyecare #opticians #eyehealth #opticianry #ontario

Last week, 113 Opticianry students completed the NACOR entry to practice exams. This was the first exam session to be held since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Spring session to be deferred. A special thank you to our partners at Seneca College and NACOR for developing safety protocols that followed public health guidelines regarding group size, physical distancing and best practices around infection control. All the best to the candidates who participated! #COO #eyecare #eyehealth #opticians #opticianry #ontario

The COO board of directors’ election in District 5 is underway! If you are a member in good standing and reside in District 5 (Toronto), you are able to vote online through the Registrant portal. For more information visit: https://collegeofopticians.ca//get-involved/board-elections #COO #Opticians #EyeCare #EyeHealth #Ontario #Trust #Confidence

This fall, The College will be looking for several Appointed Members to start a two-year term in January of 2020. Appointed Members play an active role in the College by serving on committees and participating in working groups. For more information on becoming an Appointed Member contact us at [email protected] or visit our website: https://collegeofopticians.ca//get-invol/appointed-members #COO #Opticians #EyeCare #EyeHealth #Ontario #Trust #Confidence #opticianry

The Return to Practice Guidelines and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document have been updated to reflect clarifications from the Chief Medical Officer regarding the use of masks by health care professionals, patients, and visitors. Please refer to our chart for details. You can read the documentation here: Return to Practice Guidelines: https://collegeofopticians.ca//Return%20to%20Work%20Guidel FAQs: ttps://collegeofopticians.ca/sites/default/uploads/files/2020-09-30%20Updated%20FAQs%20on%20letter%20head.pdf If you have any questions please reach out to the Practice Advisor at [email protected]

Have you completed your continuing education hours for the year? Watch Registrar, Fazal Khan, and Chair, Bryan Todd as they present a College Update virtually at the OOA symposium on October 18th and 1PG continuing education hour. For more information, click on the link for more information: https://www.ontario-opticians.com//specialty-symposium-2020 #COO #collegeofopticians #opticianry #opticians #eyecare #eyehealth

The COO will be closed to observe the Thanksgiving Holiday. #COO #EyeCare #opticians #eyehealth #ontariocanada #thanksgiving2020

Voting opens today for the COO online election in District 5 (Toronto). Candidate information is available on the Registrant portal for ROs eligible to vote in District 5. Be sure to cast your vote before the close of elections on November 9th. #COO #CollegeofOpticians #eyecare #opticians #ontario #eyehealth #opticianry #ontariocanada

According to the CNIB, 1.5 million Canadians suffer from sight loss. Leading causes of sight loss include cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy. Protect your eyes by visiting a regulated health professional regularly. #WorldSightDay #COO #opticians #eyecare #ontario

The Fall NACOR Examinations are scheduled to take place on October 24-28 with increased infection control and physical distancing in place to ensure the health and safety of candidates and examiners. For more information, email [email protected] or visit the NACOR website https://nacor.ca/national-examination/ #COO #opticians #eyehealth #eyecare #opticianry

A reminder that all Opticians are now required to report their Accredited Continuing Education activities in the QA section of the registrant portal by December 31 each year. Some opticians will be selected to submit their 2020 portfolio for review by the College in early 2021. The annual Requirements include: 4 accredited eyeglass (EG) hours, 4 accredited contact lens (CL) hours, 4 accredited professional growth (PG) hours and 4 self directed hours (recorded on form 3). If you have any questions or require any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or visit our website: https://collegeofopticians.ca//r/quality-assurance-program #COO #eyecare #opticians #ontario #eyehealth #opticianry

Apply to become a Contact Lens Mentor and supervise an opticianry student! This is a great way to contribute to the profession. Read the updated policy on student supervision to ensure you are aware of your responsibilities. Click here for the application form: https://collegeofopticians.ca//Contact%20Lens%20Mentor%20A Updated policy: https://collegeofopticians.ca//(2020)%20Approved%20-%20Con #COO #eyecare #eyehealth #opticians #ontario #collegeofopticians #opticianry

One of the ways the College protects patients is by investigating complaints about opticians. If you have a concern about the care you received, please contact us at [email protected]. We're here to help protect your right to safe and ethical care. For more information visit our website: https://collegeofopticians.ca/public/complaints-and-conduct #COO #Opticians #EyeCare #EyeHealth #Trust

So, you've agreed to supervise an opticianry student that's great! They seem competent, so should you ease up on your supervision a bit? Read our updated policy on student supervision to ensure you are aware of your responsibilities: https://collegeofopticians.ca//(2020)%20Approved%20-%20Stu