PRIVACY POLICY
Effective Date: 06 August 2025
Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how InterOptika (“we,” “us,” or “our”), operating the website www.interoptika.co.za, collects, uses, shares, and protects your Personal Information in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) of the Republic of South Africa.
1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect information necessary to fulfill your orders, provide our services, and manage your account. This includes:
A. General Personal Information
- Identification and Contact Data: Name, surname, email address, telephone number, and physical delivery address.
- Financial Data: Payment card details (processed securely by third-party payment gateways, we do not store full card numbers) and billing address.
- Account Data: Username, password (encrypted), purchase history, and communication preferences.
B. Special Personal Information (Health Data)
When you purchase prescription glasses or contact lenses, we collect and process the following health-related information:
- Prescription Details: Sphere (SPH), Cylinder (CYL), Axis, Addition (ADD), Prism, and Monocular Pupillary Distance (PD) measurements.
- Prescription Documentation: A copy of the written prescription provided by your Registered Practitioner.
We collect this data with your explicit consent and solely for the purpose of manufacturing and dispensing your correct optical products, as required by South African health and dispensing regulations.
C. AR/VR and Technology Data (Virtual Try-On)
If you choose to use our Virtual Try-On (Augmented/Virtual Reality) features provided by third-party plugins, the following data may be processed:
- Camera Access: Requires access to your device’s camera to display the virtual image.
- Facial Scan Data: Temporary, non-biometric geometric data derived from your face (e.g., key facial landmark coordinates) is used only in real-time to overlay the eyewear image accurately.
- Data Retention: This facial scan data is not stored or saved on our servers or by the third-party providers for identification purposes after your session ends. It is discarded immediately upon closing the try-on application.
2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We use your Personal Information only for the following legitimate purposes:
- Order Fulfilment: To process your purchases, manufacture custom lenses, and dispense the correct Products based on your prescription.
- Logistics and Delivery: To deliver your order via courier services and to verify identity for in-store collection at our Gauteng Collection Points.
- Customer Support: To respond to your inquiries, manage returns, exchanges, and warranty claims.
- Marketing and Communication: To send you updates, promotions, and information about new products (you can opt out at any time).
- Legal Compliance: To comply with South African laws, including health dispensing regulations (HPCSA) and tax requirements.
3. SHARING OF YOUR INFORMATION
We will not sell your Personal Information. We only share it with third parties necessary to provide our services and under strict confidentiality agreements:
| Recipient Type | Data Shared | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Couriers/Logistics Partners | Name, Address, Phone Number | To ship and deliver your purchased products. |
| Payment Gateways | Name, Financial Information | To securely process payment transactions. |
| AR/VR Third-Party Providers | Temporary Facial Geometry Data | To enable the virtual try-on feature (data is discarded post-session). |
| IT/Hosting Service Providers | Encrypted Data, General Information | To maintain the security and functionality of the Website. |
We are responsible for ensuring that all third parties comply with POPIA when processing your data on our behalf.
4. DATA SECURITY AND STORAGE
We implement robust technical and organizational measures to protect your Personal Information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss, including:
- Encryption: Using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology for all payment and data transmissions.
- Access Control: Limiting access to your Personal Information, especially sensitive health data, to necessary personnel (e.g., dispensing opticians and order processing staff).
- Storage Location: Your Personal Information is stored on secure servers located within the Republic of South Africa or in countries offering an adequate level of data protection as prescribed by POPIA.
5. YOUR RIGHTS UNDER POPIA
As a data subject, you have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the Personal Information we hold about you.
- Correction/Deletion: Request us to correct or delete Personal Information that is inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, or has been processed unlawfully.
- Objection: Object to the processing of your Personal Information, including for direct marketing purposes.
- Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent to the processing of your Special Personal Information (health data) at any time, although this may affect our ability to fulfill pending prescription orders.
- Lodge a Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your rights under POPIA have been infringed.
