Updated April 12, 2023
Some well-paying, career-worthy jobs require a lot of schooling, which can be daunting upfront. Paying for multiple years of school before you can begin earning money can feel like too high a cost and too big a risk. The good news is that many careers exist like a ladder, where you can begin work after conducting initial training in a few months. Then you slowly "skill up" by taking coursework and passing certification examinations to grow into roles with more responsibility and pay.
Optician work is a field like this. It includes multiple paths into the field, but if your eventual goal is to be a dispensing optician, you can begin with a 10-week course to become an optician's assistant. From there, you can seek further qualifications through the ABO certification.
Keep reading to learn more about the ABO, what the ABO-NCLE certification includes, and how to prepare for the certification exam.
What is the ABO?
The ABO is the American Board of Opticianry. This professional organization gives opticians access to connect with each other, a place to learn more about advances in corrective lenses, and certify that a particular optician has achieved a level of excellence recognized by their experienced peers. It has created board certification programs so that, as opticians advance in their careers, they can gain voluntarily pursue certifications.
While the ABO certification is not a requirement, it helps you appeal more to employers by showing you have a designated level of expertise. It may make securing a first position easier or prepare you to raise the ranks. Also, as a national certification, you'll have an easier time moving to a different state or new location because it doesn't tie you to any specific location.
How Does ABO-NCLE Certification Work?
The basic ABO certification (and the NCLE, or National Contact Lens Examiners component) derives from an examination for dispensing opticians and contact lens technicians.
After passing the exam, you'll need to obtain continuing education credits in three years to renew your credential. After your time with a basic ABO certification, you may find yourself in a position to sit for the Advanced ABO certification exam and later the Master exam. However, you'll need to first practice with a three-year certification before moving on to these higher-level certifications. Advanced and Master-level credentials also have publishing components beyond the exam.
Understanding the Basic ABO Certification Exam
For the basic exam, you'll have two hours to complete 100 questions.
First, there is a section of 25 questions on Ophthalmic Optics, which will include a variety of terms related to the following:
- Prescriptions
- Lens characteristics
- Lens powers
- Lens types
- Ophthalmic formulas
Next, you will have a section of 10 questions discussing ocular anatomy and physiology, then a third section of 20 questions regarding frames and lenses. You'll then have 15 questions on Instrumentation and 20 questions on dispensing procedures, including how to get a patient history and how to fit, adjust, and measure.
The ABO certification's final section includes ten questions on laws and standards in this industry. You'll have a different series of 100 questions for your NCLE exam, though some of the material you might study will overlap.
Do I Need Certification to Start as an Optician?
While knowing how to prepare for ABO certification is smart, it can feel daunting if you're starting your career and have little experience yet. Once you have a high school diploma or GED, you have all the requirements to begin training as an optician's assistant. A 10-week course like the optician's assistant training at Portland Community College gives you a broad overview that will help you hit the ground running at your first job as an optician's assistant.
Though you might be able to learn everything on the job, coming in with prior education will make you a more appealing prospect. For instance, you'll learn the terms used in optical work, as well as the anatomy of the eye. You'll also learn how to measure frames and other important measurements on the eye, like interpupillary distance and optical center heights. You'll learn about cosmetic considerations in frame selection and all the markings on frames that help you dispense them correctly. You'll learn about patient care, including how to adjust temples and nose pads for patient comfort.
Overall, this course prepares you to do the on-the-job learning you'd receive as an assistant. Over time, your continued education and pursuit of certifications like the basic ABO certification will help you advance your career.
Launch Your Career Today At Portland Community College
Portland Community College works hard to identify fields with a strong need for well-paid employees who can advance in their careers, all based on an affordable program that students can complete flexibly. For instance, PCC's Optician's Assistant Training includes classroom and webinar hours to reduce your commute without reducing your learning. Explore the options you have here today!
