If a written prescription for contact lenses is not available, what action must the seller take?

When a written prescription for contact lenses is not available, the seller is required to communicate with the prescriber before selling, shipping, or delivering any lenses. This requirement is in place to ensure that the seller verifies the accuracy and validity of the prescription before providing the lenses to the customer. Optometry regulations prioritize patient safety by ensuring that lenses are dispensed according to the appropriate prescription parameters established by an eye care professional.

Communicating with the prescriber serves multiple purposes: it confirms the patient's needs, establishes proper fitting and lens type, and ensures compliance with health regulations. By taking this step, the seller upholds patient safety standards and ensures that the lenses provided are suitable for the individual’s eye health and vision correction needs.

The other options, such as providing a temporary prescription, offering a full refund, or selling the lenses without validating the prescription, do not adhere to the mandated regulatory framework designed to protect consumer interests in the realm of eye care and contact lens dispensing.