Policy Document

The legibility of medication labelling is a concern for all Canadians, because poor or illegible labelling may lead to miscommunication of medication information and poor patient outcomes. There are currently few guidelines and no regulations regarding print standards on medication labels. This study analyzed ample prescription labels from Ontario, Canada, and compared them with print legibility guidelines (both generic and specific to medication labels).
Study: Improving the legibility of prescription medication labels for older adults and adults with visual impairment. Most current prescription labels fail to meet print guidelines, especially in print size.
We therefore compared the legibility of current prescription medication labels against the legibility of prototype labels, based on current guidelines for legibility.
CAO's Letter to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Council of the Federation, June 2016
Good Labels and Package Practices Guide for Prescription Drugs, June 30, 2016
Good Label and Package Practices Guide for Non-prescription and Natural Health Products, Health Canada, June 30, 2016
Optical prescriptions are made available to patients following a comprehensive eye examination so that patients may purchase glasses or initiate a fitting for contact lenses, or subnormal vision devices from a licensed dispensing provider. A valid prescription should contain all the relevant optical information, the prescribing optometrist’s signature, and the expiry date.
A literature (peer-reviewed and grey, English only) review of the cost benefit/economic value of primary care prevention services offered by Doctors of Optometry, namely comprehensive eye exams.
Detailed instructions for prospective students on how to Apply for an account, confirm registration and purchase the full CCOA course or an individual course component like a Course Module
On May 7, 2015, Canada’s leaders in vision health and CNIB came together to make a shared commitment to providing optimal patient-centered care across all stages of the vision loss journey. Their commitment to ensuring that every Canadian receives high-quality, seamless care when it comes to their eyes is represented by the signing of the Canadian Patient Charter for Vision.
The overarching goal of the research is to understand the human truths underpinning Canadian’s attitudes and behaviours towards eye care. Specifically, identifying the motivations and barriers to getting their eyes examined by an optometrist at the recommended frequency.