Contact Lens Mentor Program

Are you a active Contact Lens Mentor or Certified Contact Lens Fitter? If you answered yes then please click here for more information [PDF]

The Contact Lens Mentor Program continually enhances the training and education of Student and Intern Opticians. Contact Lens Mentors may supervise Registered Student/Intern Opticians for the purpose of mentoring them in soft and/or rigid contact lens fittings and signing of their logbooks. The College of Opticians would like to thank our Members who are already involved in the mentorship program and encourage those who are not yet Members to apply. Members who are already Certified Contact Lens Fitters need not apply.

Benefits of being a Contact Lens Mentor:

• You will be added to a registry of Contact Lens Mentors, that is available to the public
• Opportunity to claim one (1) Professional Activity Quality Assurance credit for each 10 fittings overseen
• Facilitate a Student/ Intern Optician in obtaining practical experience
  in the profession by sharing your experience, knowledge and wisdom in the field
• Practice and develop management skills
• Continue with your own professional development
• Contribute something back to the Opticianry profession

Becoming a Contact Lens Mentor:

Contact Lens Mentor Form [PDF]

Contact Lens Mentor Roles:

• Refer student/ intern to another professional when you are unable, or it is beyond the scope of your role as a mentor, to assist a new student/ intern. (i.e. if you are a Contact Lens Mentor for Soft Contact Lens fittings only, you may not supervise Rigid Contact Lens Fittings)
• Not charge a fee to sign logbooks or supervise Student/Intern Opticians
• Remain actively dispensing as an Optician
• Continue to be a Member in Good Standing
• You must grant permission to the College to inspect contact lens files for verification of required fittings
• Mentors should always be professional, respectful, friendly, helpful and concerned
  

Information to Student/Intern Opticians:

Student Opticians and an Intern Opticians dispense eyeglasses, contact lenses or sub-normal vision devices only under supervision or direction of a registered optician, optometrists or ophthalmologist who is physically present in the place in which the dispensing takes place at the time it takes place. According to the Registration Regulation, an additional requirement for a Student Optician is that his / her supervisor checks and approves the dispensing and verifies such approval on the patient health record (this is not a requirement for an Intern Optician).

Definition of Contact Lens Fitter/ Contact Lens Mentor:

Certified Contact Lens Fitter:
Any Registered Optician who is a certified contact lens fitter is automatically considered a qualified mentor for both soft and rigid contact lenses and is entitled to mentor student / intern opticians for contact lens fittings and signing of their logbooks. CCLF members do not need to separately apply for contact lens mentor status with the College.

Soft & Rigid Contact Lens Mentor:
Any Registered Optician who is a Soft & Rigid Contact Lens Mentor is considered a qualified mentor for both soft and rigid contact lenses and is entitled to mentor student / intern opticians for both soft and rigid contact lens fittings and signing of their logbooks.

Soft Contact Lens Mentor:
Any Registered Optician who is a Soft Contact Lens Mentor may supervise Student/Intern Opticians only for the purpose of mentoring them in soft contact lens fittings and signing of their logbooks

Rigid Contact Lens Mentor:
Any Registered Optician who is a Rigid Contact Lens Mentor may supervise Student/Intern Opticians only for the purpose of mentoring them in rigid contact lens fittings and signing of their logbooks

Contact Lens Mentor Policy [PDF]

For further information, please contact:

Denise Bailey
Coordinator of Registration
(416) 368-3616, Ext. 209