Ed_Optician's Challenge...

**William Walker** · 06-14-2005, 11:04 PM

Thanks for the compliments!

The problem I run into right now is that I feel within the next year, I'll have hit the limit on all the formal education available to me, but I want to keep learning. I know I'll learn a lot with more experience, but I want to be able to churn out optical perfection in my sleep, and I'm impatient, darnit!

I guess the next avenue to explore is a good business degree.

**chip anderson** · 06-15-2005, 06:08 AM

There are optical enginers.

**Bev Heishman** · 06-17-2005, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by William Walker

Thanks for the compliments!

The problem I run into right now is that I feel within the next year, I'll have hit the limit on all the formal education available to me, but I want to keep learning. I know, I'll learn a lot with more experience, but I want to be able to churn out optical perfection in my sleep, and I'm impatient, darn it!
I guess the next avenue to explore is a good business degree.

I have achieved all of this. I started fitting my husband & cats in my sleep.My next step will be a little more of what else I enjoy after close to 30 years in the business....psychiatrist and psychologist followed by interior design, architecture & landscaping. Other goal along the way is to finish building my own telescope.

My realization came after dreaming to much about this profession, calling out in my sleep, taking lithium, 29 years of observation of fullmooners, rocket scientists as well as not really dealing with those marked alert & oriented. This is happening more and more each month as the years progress & we are living longer!

Cheers!:cheers: :)

**omisliebling** · 08-01-2005, 10:53 PM

This seems to be an older thread, but I need to say something too :D

I passed the ABO exam last November, going for the NCLE this November.
Have attended J. Sargeant Reynold's community college in Virginia, accumulated 27 credit hours towards an AAS in Opticianry and I'm about to continue my college education at Arkansas State University Mountain Home and I live in Texas. Both schools offer their degree online. For out of state tuition I choose ASU, it's a lot more affordable than JSRCC. Check out www.asumh.edu , Randy Smith is the department head for the opticianry program and he is awesome, tell him I told you about him. Anyways, I love to fill my head with all this optical stuff and take one test after the other, it makes me feel good about myself and I hope one of these days Texas will become a licensed state, I'll be ready to sit for the state exam. For all you Virginians out there go to www.jsr.cc.va.us

**tmorse** · 03-07-2006, 01:52 AM

Originally Posted by William Walker

So what are all the things that can be considered certification?

I can think of 13 so far:

Degree in Opticianry
Degree in Optometric Management Tech
ABO
ABOA
ABO Master
NCLE
NCLEA
CPO (regular, assistant, and tech - I forget the different letter designations)
The three tech certificates HCC offers

Beyond that there are the different organizations:
State Board (In my case POF)
NAO
OAA

What else is there after this? I've attained, or am close to finishing everything on this list, but I'm 24, and don't want my mind to just sit stagnant. How can I keep challengine myself? The one thing I regret is that I am not in a position to move, so if I opt for another degree/certification, it'd have to be of the variety I could take from home.

Thanks

You forgot the premier designation for Contact Lens Fitters in the US...the Contact Lens Society of America (CLSA) "FELLOW". If you want a challange, sit for the Fellow Exam at the next CES meeting.

**tmorse** · 03-07-2006, 01:58 AM

William: Your list of certificates is incomplete... The premier designation of a contact lens fitter in the US is the Contact Lens Society of America (CLSA) 'FELLOW" .
You want a challenge? Sit the CLSA Fellow exam at the next CES meetingq and get FCLSA after your name.

**Jacqui** · 03-08-2006, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by Jacqui

Judy, I will receive my MBA in June and start woring on my MSN, does this count??

Update:

I have the last lecture tomorrow and finals March 30, I'll receive my MSN in June. May start working on Phd. Nursing (Ophthalmic) this fall.

P.S. Why do I need this ?? I'm a lab rat at heart.

**Snitgirl** · 03-08-2006, 09:25 PM

Thanks for the update tmorse. See you in class monday morning if you are there.

Originally Posted by tmorse

William: Your list of certificates is incomplete... The premier designation of a contact lens fitter in the US is the Contact Lens Society of America (CLSA) 'FELLOW" .
You want a challenge? Sit the CLSA Fellow exam at the next CES meetingq and get FCLSA after your name.

**William Walker** · 03-10-2006, 09:25 AM

Thanks for the reply. Next semester I should finish my Optical Management degree. Once I get that, my attention shifts to writing my ABOM paper. Then I want to work on the contact lens side of the proffesion.

I also get to sit for the CPOA this month.

Thanks again,
William

**HarryChiling** · 03-13-2006, 08:00 PM

Don't forget the

COA - Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
COT - Certified Ophthalmic Technician
COMT - Certified Ophthalmic Technologist

This is similar to the CPO, except that you have to work for an ophthalmologist, complete a study course, be CPR certified, and Pass an exam.

**Aarlan** · 04-03-2006, 04:11 PM

You also forgot OD... then you'll also be able to diagnose and treat many ocular disorders.

AA

**William Walker** · 04-04-2006, 08:10 AM

If I ever decided to go for the OD, it'd only be because I wanted the bonus points earned by calling yourself a doctor when trying to pick up a lady, and since I am still taken, I have no need to be an OD right now!

UPDATE - I took the CPOA exam, and the 225 question test took about 55 minutes, out the four hours alloted for it. Also, when I got to my test taking room, I found out that I was the only person in NE FL to sign up for any of the AOA tests this rotation! Weird.

Attached is my current proffesional wall, in my home office. I have a Oph Lab Tech certification and my new ABOA cert waiting on matts to be made, but it's a start!

**HarryChiling** · 04-05-2006, 05:16 PM

Nice wall William how was the CPOA exam? I was thinking of taking it but $300.00 was a little steep, although I spent that on the COA recently. Let me know how difficult it was and if you thought it was a quality test.

**William Walker** · 04-05-2006, 06:00 PM

Describing the quality of the CPOA is dificult, but I'll try...

For someone who is already an optician, I would honestly pass on this test. For the first two levels (Paraoptometric and Paraoptometric Assistant), I can't say that I actually learned anything new in either taking the test, nor preparing for the test. Now, I am hoping that the highest level (Paraoptometric Technician) teaches me something. That is the first reason why I am still taking the third level exam, when it comes around again.
The second reason I am still going to take the third exam is the lovely little certificate that I get to hang on the wall. For optician's who've been in the field for awhile, we all know it's just a peacock showing off it's plumage, but for being 25 yrs old, and my next youngest optician I work with is in their mid 40's, it's hard for a patient to trust that I know what I'm talking about right off the bat. I know I can bring them around to trusting me if they give me the time, but sometimes a negative, or even just neutral first impression doesn't give you, the optician that time needed to win them over.
The best purpose of this test will be for those who either will not work as opticians, or those who have a while to go yet before getting their optician's license. I would whole heartedly reccomend this for all staff other than the doc and optician. The receptionists, employees doing workups, refracting, doing contact lens followups, etc... would benefit from a broad range of topics, and they too would feel validated, and proud to have something they could put on the wall of their own, next to all the doc's and optician's things.

P.S. - the test is $195.00, and if you took the course they offer, it's only $100.00.

**Griff** · 04-05-2006, 06:19 PM

"I took the CPOA exam, and the 225 question test took about 55 minutes, out the four hours alloted for it. "

William,
Is the ABO-Advanced test a written test only? I got the impression from the ABO website that edging a pair of glasses is a requirement.

**William Walker** · 04-05-2006, 10:31 PM

We're confusing a few tests.

CPOA (Paraoptometric Assistant - admisistered by the American Optometric Association) is just a written exam.

ABOA (American Board of Opticianry Advanced - administered by ABO-NCLE) also just a written exam (although a tough one)

The only thing practical I can think of is 1) the practical portion of our Florida State Board exam, and 2) the CPOT (Paraoptometric Technician - administered by the AOA again) does have two parts - written and practical. I haven't taken the CPOT yet. That'll be somewhere around 6 months from now.

Hope that helps.

**HarryChiling** · 04-08-2006, 09:51 AM

The COT ,through the Joint Commision on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) www.jcahpo.org ; also has a practical exam and it is a very tough one from what I have heard.

**Jacqui** · 04-08-2006, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by HarryChiling

Don't forget the

COA - Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
COT - Certified Ophthalmic Technician
COMT - Certified Ophthalmic Technologist

This is similar to the CPO, except that you have to work for an ophthalmologist, complete a study course, be CPR certified, and Pass an exam.

I'm gong to start workng on these, supposedly they wll help me with my Phd. in Nursng.

**William Walker** · 05-16-2006, 09:13 PM

I hope to start on the JCAHPO stuff soon. I finished my Sports and Safety Eyewear course, that finishes my Eye Care Technician Cert. I'm registered for 1 of my two remaining classes for my Optical Management Degree, and should be registered for the second one soon. Those will be taken in the fall.

Here's an update on my wall so far:

**Snitgirl** · 05-16-2006, 10:52 PM

William, where are you getting your Optical Management Degree from? Also, are these distant learning courses?

Thanks,
Michelle

P.S. Nice collection!

**William Walker** · 05-17-2006, 08:17 AM

I am getting my Optical Management Degree from HCC (hccfl.edu), the same place my Opticianry Degree comes from. It is all distance learning. I have also earned two CCCs (College Credit Certificates - Ophthalmic Lab Tech & Eye Care Technician), and an Advanced Technical Certificate (Visual Assesment) from there. Since I live about 4 hours away, I always drove there to take my finals, but they do have ways for those who cannot make the drive to go through the entire program (I'm 99% sure).

Thanks for the compliment!

**William Walker** · 11-15-2006, 11:18 AM

The walls still growing! Next month I'll finish my Optical Management degree, and then I get to work on my paper for the ABOM. I have added all the JCAHPO certs to my list of things to do as well.

**HarryChiling** · 11-15-2006, 06:37 PM

Hey William,

If you get anymore certs let me know and I will add them to your avatar. :)

**Fezz** · 11-15-2006, 07:31 PM

William-

One heck of a job well done. Wow. Good job...again!

You are truly an example that we all should follow.

We all owe you one......I'll buy the first round!;)

:cheers::cheers::cheers:

**William Walker** · 11-16-2006, 09:19 AM

Thanks guys! Since I don't drink alchohol, make it an Orange Juice Fezz, and you got it!

Harry, I'll send you some more things to add when I get my next degree - Thanks!