Contact lens. /Courtesy of Pixabay

The Korea Optometrists Association reported on the 17th that online distributors illegally sold contact lenses and have filed a complaint with the police. They are accused of violating the Medical Technicians Act, which prohibits the online sale of contact lenses.

In response, online distributors claim that they did not sell contact lenses but only sold exchange coupons that can be exchanged for contact lenses at optical stores, asserting they did not violate the law.

In the relevant industry, there are remarks that "there has been a long-standing conflict between optical stores and online distributors over the sale of contact lenses, and new sales methods have led to new collisions."

◇Optometrists Association reports four online contact lens distributors to police

According to police and the industry, the Optometrists Association has recently reported four online contact lens distributors, including Kkotbora, Rentheling, Optic Life, and Pipen Company.

The reported companies are operating under the so-called 'pickup sales' method. These companies mainly sell exchange coupons for colored contact lenses online. Consumers purchase the coupons and then exchange them for contact lenses at offline optical stores.

Article 12 Section 5 of the Medical Technicians Act stipulates that contact lenses cannot be sold in the form of electronic commerce or telecommunications sales. Since 2011, online sales of contact lenses have been prohibited to protect public eye health. The Constitutional Court also decided in March of last year that this provision does not violate the constitution.

Accordingly, the Optometrists Association stated that "both the method of online distributors selling contact lenses directly and the method of selling exchange coupons constitute a violation of the law."

On the other hand, the 'Contact Lens Pickup Association' stated that "according to legal firm advice and queries to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, they received a response that the coupon sales method does not violate the Medical Technicians Act." They noted that the coupon sales method began to become active around 2022.

An industry insider remarked that "online distributors are using the exchange coupon sales method as a workaround to evade regulations related to the sale of contact lenses."

◇"The 'bowl fight' between the Optometrists Association and online distributors"

Whether purchasing contact lenses directly from an optical store or buying exchange coupons from online distributors to redeem them at an optical store, consumers reportedly bear the same expense.

However, there is a difference in the profit that optical stores can secure. For example, if a contact lens worth 10,000 won is sold via the exchange coupon method, the online distributor takes 8,000 won while the optical store receives only 2,000 won. An optical store insider noted, "Compared to directly selling contact lenses, the profit has decreased."

The online contact lens company ‘Renbling,’ reported by the Opticians Association, posts a statement on its homepage.

As a result, analyses suggest that online contact lens distributors and the Optometrists Association are engaged in a 'bowl fight.' The Contact Lens Pickup Association reported that out of more than 10,000 optical stores nationwide, 3,000 to 4,000 were cooperating until recently, but 80% terminated their contracts due to pressure from the Optometrists Association. One company stated in a position paper posted on its website that "some organizations pressured optical stores that had partnerships with them to 'suspend licenses,' leading numerous optical stores to terminate contracts."

In response, the Optometrists Association stated that "the number of optical stores initially participating in the pickup sales was only about 2,000," adding, "These stores have not determined that safety has been sufficiently validated." The association argued that optical stores are only participating to avoid revenue loss as the pickup sales have spread.

Meanwhile, consumer reactions are mixed. Graduate student Kim (25) stated, "There are often cases where the desired colors or prescriptions are out of stock at optical stores," noting, "It's convenient to receive the exchange coupon online in advance and visit the optical store without ending up empty-handed."

However, there have been reviews on online communities stating, "I ordered online and bought lenses to pick up at the optical store, but after wearing them for 1 to 2 hours, my eyes became red and my vision blurred."