Christopher Nicol

The Discipline Committee held a penalty hearing for an optometrist found to have committed professional misconduct by failing to identify a serious eye condition and making inappropriate comments to a patient.

The College sought a reprimand, a two-month suspension, practice coaching, and costs, citing the member's extensive prior disciplinary history and lack of insight.

The member argued no penalty was warranted.

The Panel ordered a reprimand, a two-month suspension, practice coaching, a practice inspection, completion of an ethics course, and $50,000 in costs, emphasizing the need for specific deterrence and public protection.

The member, an optometrist, faced allegations of professional misconduct relating to substandard oculo-visual assessments of university students and elementary school children, failure to refer a patient with a suspected eye condition, and significant record-keeping deficiencies, including altering a patient record after the fact.

The member pled guilty to the allegations via an Agreed Statement of Facts.

The Discipline Committee found the member guilty of professional misconduct.

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered a reprimand, a four-week suspension, practice coaching, an essay, a practice inspection, and $10,000 in costs.

The College of Optometrists of Ontario brought disciplinary proceedings against the respondent optometrist for professional misconduct, including failing to release prescriptions, failing to maintain standards of practice during oculo-visual assessments, and failing to maintain proper records.

The respondent pleaded guilty to the allegations and the parties presented an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Penalty.

The Discipline Committee accepted the guilty plea, found the respondent committed professional misconduct, and ordered a reprimand, a two-week suspension, the completion of a reflective essay, a practice inspection, and $7,500 in costs.