When the eye doctor has finished the exam and written your prescription, it is yours.   Usually doctors' offices will release the prescription to you without question.   If your Doctor does not automatically offer you a copy of your prescription at the completion of the eye examination (as required by the FTC's Prescription Release Rule), the best option is to ask for it.

Since the implementation of the HIPAA regulations some refractionists have interpreted the rules in such a way as to require each patient to sign a release form before giving the eyeglasses prescription to an Optician.   According to the American Optometric Association as well as the American Academy of Ophthalmogy the signed consent form is not necessary.  However, an RX Release form may be printed by clicking here.

A physician does not need a patient's written authorization to send a copy of the patient's medical record to a specialist or other health care provider who will be treating the patient.  The HIPAA Privacy Rule permits a health care provider to disclose protected health information about an individual, without the individual's authorization, to another health care provider for that provider's treatment of the individual.  See 45 CFR 164.506 and the definition of "treatment" at 45 CFR 164.501.  Verification of this statement may be found at: the United States Department of Health and Human Services at or the Federal Trade Commission For The Consumer.

For additional information on the release of your prescription the following documents might be of interest.

Doctors In Violation Says FTC

Optician Seeing Victory