The Eye Care Advocate

The Eye Care Advocate: Terms and Conditions

Last Updated: 25 October 2025

Welcome to The Eye Care Advocate Community. These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) are a binding legal agreement between you (“you,” “your,” “Member”) and The Eye Care Advocate Ltd (“we,” “us,” “our,” “The Eye Care Advocate”), the owner and operator of this community.

By clicking “I Agree,” creating an account, paying for a Subscription, and accessing our Service, you are confirming that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms.

IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS, YOU MUST NOT CREATE AN ACCOUNT OR USE THE SERVICE.

1. Definitions

  • “Service” means the paid subscription community provided by The Eye Care Advocate, including all “Our Content” and the “Community” features, hosted on the Mighty Networks platform.
  • “Community” means the online forum, chat areas, and member directory where Members can interact and post “Your Content.”
  • “Our Content” means all educational materials created or provided by us, including videos, guides, case studies, and articles.
  • “Your Content” (or “User-Generated Content”) means any content you post, upload, or share in the Community, such as comments, questions, case discussions, or profile information.
  • “Guest Expert” means a Member who may be badged as a “Founding Expert,” or “Guest Expert.” These individuals are independent third parties and are not employees, agents, or representatives of The Eye Care Advocate.
  • “Subscription” means the fee you pay (e.g., monthly or annually) to access the Service.

2. Eligibility

To use the Service, you must: a) Be at least 18 years old. b) Be a qualified optometrist, dispensing optician, ophthalmologist or orthoptist or an individual currently enrolled in training for a recognised optometric qualification. c) Provide accurate and complete information when creating your account. d) Not have been previously suspended or removed from our Service.

You warrant that you meet these criteria. We reserve the right to refuse or terminate your access at our discretion.

3. Subscriptions, Payments, and Renewals

  • Billing: You will be billed for your Subscription in advance on a recurring basis (e.g., monthly or annually) as specified at checkout.
  • Auto-Renewal: Your Subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing cycle unless you cancel it in accordance with Section 4.
  • Payment: You authorise us (via our third-party payment processor) to charge your chosen payment method for the Subscription fees.
  • Price Changes: We may change the Subscription price. We will give you at least 30 days’ notice of any price change. Your continued use of the Service after the price change takes effect constitutes your agreement to pay the new price.
  • Scholarships & Discounts: We may, at our sole discretion, offer scholarships or discounts. These are non-transferable and subject to their own specific terms.

4. Cancellation and Refunds

A. Your Statutory “Cooling-Off” Rights (UK & EU Users)

Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, you have a 14-day “cooling-off” period to cancel this contract.

B. Cancelling Your Subscription

You may cancel your Subscription at any time through your account settings. Your cancellation will take effect at the end of your current paid billing cycle. You will continue to have access to the Service until that date, and you will not be charged again.

No pro-rata refunds will be provided for any unused portion of your Subscription term.

5. Intellectual Property Rights

  • Our Content: We (and our licensors) own all intellectual property rights in the Service and Our Content. We grant you a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to access and use Our Content for your own personal, non-commercial, educational purposes during your Subscription. You must not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from Our Content.
  • Your Content: You retain all ownership rights to Your Content. By posting Your Content, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sub-licensable license to use, copy, display, and distribute Your Content solely for the purpose of operating, delivering, and promoting the Service to other Members. This license ends when you or we delete Your Content.

6. Community Guidelines & Code of Conduct (Mandatory)

This is a high-trust, professional community. You are solely responsible for Your Content and your conduct. All members must adhere to the following rules at all times.

  1. Uphold GOC Standards: As UK optometry professionals (or trainees), all members are expected to uphold the GOC’s Standards of Practice in all interactions. This includes, but is not limited to, standards on communication, honesty, and professional conduct.
  2. ZERO-TOLERANCE REGARDING PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY (GOC Standard 14): This is our most important rule. You must not post any identifiable patient information. This includes any “jigsaw” details (e.g., unique clinical data + location + date). All cases must be 100% anonymised and discussed in a hypothetical, educational context. A breach of this rule is a material breach of these Terms and will result in your immediate and permanent removal from the community without a refund.
  3. Be Constructive, Not Critical: We are here to support, not to judge. Challenge ideas, not people. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, harassment, personal attacks, or any conduct that brings the profession into disrepute.
  4. No Illegal or Defamatory Content: You must not post any content that is illegal, defamatory, threatening, in breach of any third party’s intellectual property rights, or in breach of the Online Safety Act 2023.
  5. No Spam or Unauthorised Promotion: You must not post spam or unauthorised advertisements.
  6. No Malicious Content: You must not post any viruses, malware, or other malicious code.

Failure to adhere to these rules may result in a formal warning, suspension, or permanent termination of your account without a refund.

7. CRITICAL: Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY.

  • A. FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY: The Service and all content (both Our Content and Your Content) are provided for educational and informational purposes ONLY.
  • B. NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL JUDGMENT: It is NOT medical, clinical, or diagnostic advice. You, as a registered or training professional, are solely responsible for your own clinical decisions. This community is NOT a clinical supervision service. You must not rely on advice from this forum to manage a specific patient.
  • C. NO ENDORSEMENT OF GUEST EXPERTS OR UGC: We are not responsible for any advice, opinions, or information posted by Members, including “Guest Experts” or “Mentors” (as defined in Section 1). We do not vet, endorse, or guarantee the accuracy or safety of any advice provided by Guest Experts or other Members.
  • D. AT YOUR OWN RISK: Your reliance on any information within the Community is entirely at your own sole risk. Your interactions with Guest Experts (including any promotions or separate services they offer) are between you and them. We are not a party to, and will not be liable for, any dispute or transaction between you and a Guest Expert or any other Member.
  • E. NO GUARANTEE OF OUTCOME: We make no promise or guarantee of any specific outcome, including but not limited to, exam passes, job placements, or salary increases.
  • F. A COLLABORATIVE, NOT EXCLUSIVE, RESOURCE: This Community is designed to supplement, not replace, other official and professional resources. We actively encourage you to use other resources for specific clinical advice or exam preparation.
  • G. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Eye Care Advocate (including its officers and directors) shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, or for any loss of profits or revenue, arising out of your use of the Service or your reliance on any content. Our total liability to you for any and all claims relating to the Service shall not exceed the total fees you have paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

8. Declaration of Professional Boundaries

To ensure full transparency, you acknowledge the following:

  • Dual Roles: The founder, Jason Searle, works numerous roles that may include employment within educational institutions. This Community is a private business, entirely separate from his other employment and engagement roles. This may also apply to other members or Guest Experts.
  • No Unfair Influence: Your membership status (or lack thereof) will have zero bearing on any of your academic assessments, grades, or supervision in any other capacity.
  • Ethical Firewall: Members who are also students or colleagues in other settings must respect this boundary and not use the time or platforms of other mutual locations/organisations to discuss Community-specific matters. Additionally, you must not use this platform to discuss matters involving the founder or other members from other mutual organisations.

9. Guest Experts & Advertising (#Ad)

  • Independent Experts: “Founding Experts” and other “Guest Experts” are independent professionals, not employees of “The Eye Care Advocate.” We are not liable for their specific advice or services.
  • Transparent Promotion: Our Guest Experts may be permitted to promote their own businesses in designated areas. In compliance with Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules, any such promotional content will be clearly identified (e.g., with #Ad).
  • Spam Policy: Whilst our Guest Experts are occasionally permitted to promote their own businesses, excessive self-promotion is not permitted. If you are concerned by the nature of a Guest Expert’s posting, please contact an administrator.

10. Indemnity

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless The Eye Care Advocate from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from: a) Your use of the Service. b) Your breach of these Terms (especially Section 6). c) Your Content, including any claim that Your Content infringes on a third party’s rights or breaches patient confidentiality.

11. Private Messaging (Chat) Policy”

“Our community’s Chat (Direct Message) feature is enabled to foster professional networking and allow members to contact the Host (Jason Searle) privately for support.

Your use of Chat is subject to all other sections of these Terms & Conditions. You agree that you will not use the Chat feature for:

  • Any form of harassment, bullying, or abusive language.
  • Sending unsolicited promotional messages or “spam” to other members (including Founding Experts).
  • Breaching patient confidentiality (GOC Standard 14).
  • Providing or soliciting specific, directive clinical advice on a member’s real patient.

As the Host, we do not and cannot read your private messages. You are solely responsible for the content you send. However, the community provides a mechanism for members to report any message that breaches these terms.

Reporting Abuse: If you receive any private message that makes you feel unsafe, harassed, constitutes spam, or breaches our guidelines, you must immediately take a screenshot of the message and send it in a private message directly to the Host (@Jason Searle).

If, for any reason, the chat feature does not work, report all breaches to jason@theeyecareadvocate.co.uk.

We operate a zero-tolerance policy for the misuse of our private chat. Any member found to be in breach of this policy will be subject to our Enforcement policy, up to and including permanent removal from the community.”

12. Termination

  • By You: You may terminate this agreement at any time by cancelling your Subscription and ceasing to use the Service.
  • By Us: We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to the Service, without notice or refund, if you:
    • Breach these Terms (particularly Section 6).
    • Fail to pay your Subscription fees.
    • Behave in a way that we reasonably believe could cause legal liability or disrupt the Community for other Members.

13. Data Protection & Privacy

Your privacy is paramount. By agreeing to these Terms, you also acknowledge that you have read and agree to our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data in accordance with UK GDPR.

14. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms, and any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes) arising out of or in connection with them, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

You and we irrevocably agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any such dispute or claim.

15. General

  • International Users: This Service is operated from the United Kingdom. If you access the Service from outside the UK, you are responsible for complying with your local laws (in addition to the GOC Standards, where applicable).
  • Changes to Terms: We may modify these Terms at any time. We will provide at least 14 days’ notice of any material changes. Your continued use of the Service after the changes take effect constitutes your agreement to the new Terms.
  • Severability: If any part of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, that part will be severed, and the remaining Terms will continue in full force.
  • Contact: For any questions about these Terms, please contact us at jason@theeyecareadvocate.co.uk.