Privacy Policy

Dr R.C Amod Inc. (registration number 2021/706124/21), trading as Panorama Eye, is the “Responsible Party” for your personal information under POPIA. Dr Rizwana C. Amod, as director, acts as Information Officer and is responsible for overseeing compliance with this Privacy Policy and POPIA. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or wish to exercise a right under POPIA, please contact us at reception@panoramaeye.co.za.

• Identity Data – full name, identity number, date of birth, and contact details of a spouse/guardian where relevant;
• Contact Data – email address, telephone number and physical/postal address;
• Health Data – your medical and ophthalmic history, examination findings, diagnoses, imaging and test results, treatment and surgical records, medication, and referral correspondence;
• Medical Aid & Financial Data – medical aid scheme and membership details, billing and payment information;
• Website Usage Data – information about how you use this website, collected automatically (see Cookies, below).

We collect personal information directly from you – for example, when you complete our contact form, correspond with reception or accounts, or attend a consultation. We may also receive personal information from a referring optometrist or medical practitioner, from your medical aid or its administrator, or from Cape Eye Hospital (“CEH”), Bellville, in connection with a surgical procedure.

We process personal information to provide you with proper diagnosis, treatment and care; to schedule and administer appointments and procedures; to bill you or your medical aid and manage accounts; to comply with our legal, regulatory and record-keeping obligations (including under the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974, the National Health Act, 61 of 2003, and applicable HPCSA guidelines); and to protect our legitimate interests. We rely on the grounds recognised under POPIA, including that processing is necessary for your medical treatment and care by a health professional, your consent, the performance of a contract with you, compliance with a legal obligation, or our legitimate interests.

We may share personal information with our own staff who require it to provide your care; with a referring optometrist or practitioner, for continuity of care; with Cape Eye Hospital (“CEH”), Bellville and associated theatre/anaesthetic staff, where you undergo a surgical procedure; with your medical aid or its administrator, for claims and billing purposes (including via accounts@panoramaeye.co.za); with professional advisors and service providers who assist us in operating the practice, on a confidential basis; and with regulators, courts or other authorities, where we are legally required to do so. We do not sell your personal information, and require all third parties to whom we disclose it to protect it in accordance with POPIA.

This website may use cookies and similar technologies to recognise repeat visitors and understand, in aggregate, how the website is used. Cookies used by this website do not, of themselves, identify you personally. Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies; doing so may affect certain website features.

We may use service providers (for example, cloud email, practice management, or appointment/billing software) whose servers are located outside South Africa. Where we do so, we take reasonable steps to ensure your personal information continues to receive a level of protection substantially similar to that required under POPIA.

We retain personal information, including health records, only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. As a general rule, we retain adult patients’ health records for a minimum of six years from the date of the last entry, and minor patients’ health records until the patient turns 21, or for six years from the last entry, whichever is longer, in each case in line with applicable health record-keeping guidelines and legal requirements. Records are securely deleted or anonymised once the applicable retention period has passed.

We have put in place appropriate technical and organisational measures, including in respect of patient confidentiality, to protect your personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, and unauthorised disclosure. In the event of a security compromise affecting your personal information, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as required under POPIA.

Subject to POPIA, you have the right to be notified that your personal information is being collected or has been accessed by an unauthorised person; to access the personal information we hold about you; to request correction, destruction, or deletion of your personal information in appropriate circumstances; to object to processing; and to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator, or institute civil proceedings, regarding any alleged non-compliance with POPIA. Please note that certain health records may be subject to specific retention and access requirements under health-sector legislation and HPCSA guidelines, which we will explain to you if relevant. To exercise any right, please contact us using the details above.

We would appreciate the opportunity to address any concern before you approach the Information Regulator, so please contact us in the first instance. You nonetheless have the right to lodge a complaint at any time with the Information Regulator of South Africa: Woodmead North Office Park, 54 Maxwell Drive, Woodmead, Johannesburg, 2191; email enquiries@inforegulator.org.za or, for complaints specifically regarding personal information, POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za; telephone 010 023 5200 (or toll-free 0800 017 160).

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or in applicable law. The version published on this website at the time you access it will apply.