Vision Centre Privacy Notice
Updated: 09/10/2024
Please read this notice in conjunction with our Privacy Notice.
What personal information do we collect and how do we use it?
At our vision centres, we may collect personal information when you provide us with a contact lens or eye glass prescription to be filled, have your eyes examined or receive other advice from an eye care specialist, purchase, order, return, or exchange products, sign-up to receive update or refill reminders or when you contact us with a comment, question or complaint relating to one of our vision centers, as follows:
- Prescription Fulfillment: When you provide us with a contact lens or eye glass prescription or have your eyes examined at one of our vision centres, with your consent, we may collect personal information such as your first and last name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, date of birth, gender, age, medical history, current medications and prescription information, medical conditions, diagnosis and information obtained from your eye examination, eye evaluations and measurements (for contact lenses), name of referring physician, provincial drug benefit program or private health insurance plan information, and other information you may provide to us. We collect this information for the purpose of providing you with proper eye and vision care, as well as to identify you, to ensure the accuracy of our records, to ensure that there are no adverse drug or allergic reactions to any contact lens solutions, to provide insurers with information to process your claims and benefits, and to comply with applicable professional, legal and regulatory requirements. Where appropriate, we also use this information to provide you with other treatment-related services, such as updates or refill reminders.
- Purchase, Order, Return, or Exchange Products: Other than to verify your identity, you do not have to provide us with any personal information when you pay for products and services, for cash at one of our vision centres. If you use a credit or debit card, we collect your credit or debit card-related information and your signature for the purposes of processing your payment. In addition, we collect information related to your provincial benefit program or private health insurance provider in order to process payment/reimbursement for your claims and to verify your eligibility and coverage.
- Customer Service: When you contact us with a comment, question or complaint relating to one of our vision centres, you may be asked for information that identifies you along with additional information we need to help us promptly answer your question or respond to your comment or complaint. The information we collect for these purposes may include your name, address and a phone number. We may retain this information to assist you in the future and to improve our product and service offerings.
Who do we share it with?
Other than as set out in the Privacy Notice, Walmart will not share, trade, rent, sell or otherwise transfer your personal information, without your prior consent, except as otherwise set out and below:
- Coordination of Care: When necessary, we may share personal information with your health care professional, our family of companies and other third parties in order to coordinate your care. For instance, we may speak to your eye care specialist to clarify your prescription or to discuss your condition, allergies or drug reactions. We may also share personal information with your caregiver or a family member or friend whom you have designated as your health care representative. We will not share your personal health information in the course of providing you with health care services if you expressly tell us otherwise, but we may not be able to provide you with the services you requested.
- Provincial Prescription Systems: We may be required by law to provide prescription-related information to a government registry.
- Payment: We may share information with your provincial benefit program, private insurance provider, or other health claim adjudicator as necessary in order to process your claim, including your eligibility for reimbursement and scope of your coverage.
- Legal: Walmart opticians may be required by law to disclose certain information in order to comply with applicable professional, legal and regulatory requirements.
How long will we keep your personal information?
We keep your personal information on file as required by applicable provincial law. Where permitted, we may digitize your personal information; otherwise, paper records are maintained in a secure manner both at the vision center level and/or at an approved third-party storage facility.
In order to access, delete, update/correct or transfer personal information contained within your optometrist record electronically to another organization, please speak to the optometrist at the Walmart Vision Centre where you receive healthcare services.