Optician

Graduates of the Optician/Technician Program may become certified in the opticianry field. The National Opticianry Competency Examination (NOCE) is spectacle-related and given by the American Board of Opticianry (ABO). This exam consists of questions on the skills and knowledge required for competency in ophthalmic dispensing. The Contact Lens Registry Examination (CLRE) is given by the National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) for certification in contact lens dispensing. Both written exams are offered twice a year, in May and November, at numerous sites across the country. One or both certifications may be required by the state in which the optician plans to locate as some states require optician licensing. Many of these states use the ABO and/or NCLE certification exams as part of their licensing process.

For more information regarding certification, contact: American Board of Opticianry, ABO/NCLE, 6506 Loisdale Road, Suite 209, Springfield, VA 22150; (703) 719-5800; fax (703) 719-9144; www.abo.org; e-mail: mail@abo-ncle.org.

Optometric Technician

Graduates of the Optician/Technician Program may also become certified through a program offered by the American Optometric Association Paraoptometric Section. The certification program consists of three levels; however, graduates of the program or students in their last semester of study in the IU Optician/Technician Program will be allowed to skip the first level and be eligible to sit for the second- or third-level written exams. They will be exempt from taking the practical exam, which is part of the third-level testing. Certification, while not required, is recognized in the optometry field as an assurance of the basic knowledge necessary to perform the functions of an optometric technician.

For more information, contact: American Optometric Association, Paraoptometric Section, 243 N. Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63141-7881; (314) 991-4100 or 800-365-2219; fax (314) 991-4101; www.aoa.org.