If an optometrist, in the course of their work, comes to believe that another regulated health professional has sexually abused a patient, the optometrist must make a report to the Registrar of the college that the other health professional belongs to.
The report must be made within 30 days of learning of the abuse and must include the optometrist’s name (as the reporter), the name of the alleged abuser, the details of the alleged abuse, and the name of the patient (but only if the patient consents in writing to the inclusion of their name in the report). An optometrist that fails to make a mandatory report of sexual abuse is subject to a fine up to $50,000.