Imperial Optical forced to shut down after years of owner pretending to be an optician

WEST KELOWNA – The owner of a West Kelowna eye clinic has been misleading patients into thinking he was an optometrist since 2015.

William Lougheed of Imperial Optical breached a previous consent order issued to him by the College of Opticians of B.C.  According to a media release from the College he led patients to believe he is an optician or provided services only an optician can provide.

He is not registered with the College but was first disciplined by the College in 2015. A release issued Aug. 3 says he hasn't stopped.

The Supreme Court of B.C. has ordered him to stop operating his business and banned him from working in an optical store.

Only opticians certified by the College can conduct automated refractions to assess vision for healthy patients between the ages of 19 and 64.

They are trained to recognize eye health issues that should be treated and are bound to advise patients of the differences between an automated refraction and eye health examination before the assessment begins.

“The College of Opticians of B.C. is advising past patients of William Lougheed at Imperial Optical in Kelowna to seek an eye health examination,” the release says.

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