Welcome to the TTORC

The Council is known as the Trinidad & Tobago Opticians Registration Council (TTORC). The Minister of Health appoints the council members.

Extracts from the Opticians (Registration) Act:

Format of the Council:

The Council consists of:

1. two dispensing opticians nominated by the Dispensing Opticians Association;
2. two medical practitioners, one an ophthalmologist, nominated by the Medical Board, and the other, the Chief Medical Officer or his alternate;
3. three optometrists nominated by the Trinidad and Tobago Optometrist Association.

The Chairman shall be the Chief Medical Officer or his alternate.

TTORC Register

The Register shall be in three parts, showing separately-.

1. the names of individuals registered as optometrists;
2. the names of individuals registered as dispensing opticians; and
3. the names of firms or companies registered to carry on the practice of optometry or dispensing opticians.

Registration requirement and conditions

Every firm or company desirous of carrying on the business of providing ophthalmic or dispensing service is required to apply to be registered under this Act. Any such firm or company engaging in such business without being so registered is guilty of an offence.

Where the applicant for registration under this Act is a firm or company, registration shall be conditional upon the applicant having on its staff at least one individual who is himself registered under this Act as an optometrist or a dispensing optician.

No person registered under this Act shall be entitled to fit contact lenses unless he is –

1. lenses; or an optometrist who qualified not earlier than 1960
2. an optometrist who qualified before 1960 but who satisfies the Council that he is proficient in the fitting of contact lenses.
3. a dispensing optician who satisfies the Council he is proficient in the fitting of contact lenses

Any individual, firm or company desiring to be registered under this Act shall make application to the secretary and submit such evidence of eligibility for registration as shall be satisfactory to the Council.

Licence Period

The secretary shall issue to every individual, firm or company registered under this Act a licence, signed by the Chairman of the Council and by the secretary, to practise as an optometrist or a dispensing optician, as the case may be, and such licence shall expire on the 31st day of December next after the issue thereof, unless it is cancelled or suspended earlier by order of the Council.

Every licensee under this section shall pay to the secretary an annual licence fee payable in the month of January in each year commencing with the year immediately following his initial registration.

If any licensee fails to pay the annual licence fee for three months after it becomes due, the registration shall be deemed to be suspended; but it shall be lawful for the Council to restore the effectiveness of the registration upon payment of the licence fee and such further sum by way of fine as to the Council may seem proper."

Equipment and Fees

A dispensing optician may lawfully be in possession of test lenses, lensometer and such other instruments, apparatus or machinery as may be required for dispensing ophthalmic prescriptions; but subject as provided herein, in any prosecution under this Act, the use by any person other than an optometrist of test lenses, trial frames, ophthalmoscope, retinoscope or any apparatus that may be used to measure refraction or visual acuity, or muscular equilibrium, shall be deemed conclusive evidence of the practice of sight testing.

Every optometrist shall be entitled to demand and recover reasonable charges for sight testing and other services which by this Act he is authorised to perform including the cost of merchandise supplied in connection therewith.

Every dispensing optician shall be entitled to demand and recover reasonable charges for dispensing eye ,glasses or lenses or prisms in accordance with an ophthalmic prescription including the cost of any merchandise supplied in connection therewith.

No person unless he is authorised under this or any other Act to perform the services referred to in sub-section (1) or (2), shall be entitled to claim or to recover any fee or charge for such services.

Fines:

Fines:

1. procures or attempts to procure by or for himself or any other person registration under this Act by means of any false, deceptive or fraudulent act, conduct or statement, written or verbal, or who aids or abets others therein; or
2. not being an optometrist or a dispensing optician under this Act, sells eye glasses or lenses or spectacle frames (other than sunglasses, sun shades or hand magnifying glasses) kept in stock in a state ready for use;

is guilty of an offence.

Any person guilty of an offence under this Act for which no penalty is specifically provided is liable on summary conviction to a fine of one thousand five hundred dollars and to imprisonment for six months