Confused about Advanced Tests

**agr8194** · 09-16-2012, 10:17 AM

I am taking the NCLE Advanced Test in November and was wandering about the recommended study material. I am also taking the ABO Advanced Test and am reading on here so many mixed reviews of the study material and recommendations of such that it has me really worried about what I am studying. Here is what I have done so far and would like some feedback:
-I took the ABO and NCLE Certification Test this past May and Received an 89 and a 90
-I graduated earlier this year with an AAS in Opticianry in which we studied extensively the "System for Ophthalmic Dispensing" and used both the CLSA Basic and Advanced books
-I am studying the ABO Advanced Tutorial
-I am studying the Advanced Contact Lens Manual
-I have been revisiting the Systems book
-I have been asking many questions of my coworker; an ABOM since 1985, who by the way has a wealth of knowledge from his 30+ yrs of being an Optician
-& I am studying with a friend who will be traveling to Washington with me to take the exams as well

Thanks for any input,
Bob

**Wes** · 09-16-2012, 11:05 AM

You don't sound confused at all. In fact, I'd say you're on the right track. Most likely, what you have will get you through both exams successfully. If you want more, I recommend them in descending order for the following exams:

Advanced National Opticianry Competency Exam (ANOCE); often referred to as the Advanced ABO Exam:
Optical Formulas Tutorial; Stoner, Perkins & Ferguson
A Certification Review Book; Ferguson/OAA
Ophthalmic Lenses and Dispensing; Jalie
Geometric, Physical, and Visual Optics; Keating
Understanding Lens Surfacing; Brooks

Advanced Contact Lens Registry Exam (ACLRE); often referred to as the Advanced NCLE exam:
Contact Lens Prescribing and Fitting, Hom & Bruce
Contact Lens Practice; Ephron
The Ophthalmic Assistant; Stein, Slatt & Stein

**Darryl Meister** · 09-16-2012, 11:50 AM

I graduated earlier this year with an AAS in Opticianry in which we studied extensively the "System for Ophthalmic Dispensing" and used both the CLSA Basic and Advanced books

Then, in my opinion, your training and education has already far surpassed the requirements of any of the ABO examinations.

Best regards,
Darryl

**agr8194** · 09-24-2012, 08:17 PM

Thanks to both of you for your input, and I apologize for taking so long respond. Very busy with work, family (2 teenage daughters in sports) and studying takes most of my time.
Sounds like I am making these tests out to be much harder than they really are.
Will I need to know all the formulas in the back of the ABO Advanced Tutorial? Not much in the way of Optics in the text, much to my surprise.
The text in the ABO Tutorial reads more like a manual for an up and coming store manager, not an Optician with advanced knowledge of optics, just my take.

Thanks again,
Bob

**Darryl Meister** · 09-24-2012, 08:19 PM

The text in the ABO Tutorial reads more like a manual for an up and coming store manager, not an Optician with advanced knowledge of optics, just my take

That nicely summarizes my issue with the new ABO Advanced exam.

Best regards,
Darryl

**Wes** · 09-24-2012, 09:19 PM

The formulas you need are in an appendix at the back of the test booklet. You won't need to memorize them but you will need to know how to apply and work through them.

**Darryl Meister** · 09-25-2012, 09:35 AM

You won't need to memorize them...

The fact that the ABO now actually provides you with the handful formulas that you need to know on the actual test, itself, is further proof of how little this new certification resembles, in either content or difficulty, the original Master Exam.

Best regards,
Darryl

**gmc** · 09-25-2012, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by Wes

The formulas you need are in an appendix at the back of the test booklet. You won't need to memorize them but you will need to know how to apply and work through them.

Wow! I didn't realize the formulas were given to you in the actual test booklet. When I took the Masters Exam in 1997, no formulas were given. If I remember correctly, you could use a standard, but not a scientific calculator.

Times have changed.

**Wes** · 09-25-2012, 09:59 AM

I don't know if the formulas were in the book when I took the exam. If they were, I didn't see them. Several people have since told me about it.

**Roy R. Ferguson** · 09-25-2012, 10:19 AM

The formulas are in the test booklet. I didn't realize these were included until after the test. A scientific calculator is supplied.

Darryl is right; this test in no way resembles the old Masters Exam. In my opinion it concentrates on optical trivia and obscure business/management topics.

Roy

**Lee Prewitt** · 09-26-2012, 10:02 AM

When I took the test, yes formulas were supplied. Only basic ones however and not the higher order advanced ones! Did not memorize the actual formulas and wound up having to retake the test. My advice...memorize all that you need and do not rely on ABO to provide. If only I had guessed A instead of E I would have passed!

**agr8194** · 10-01-2012, 06:35 AM

ABO says there are only 22 questions in the content area of management. Are the questions that difficult that they are that much harder than everything else on the test? That's the only thing I hear about that causes trouble.
Lee, what do you mean by higher order formulas?

**Lee Prewitt** · 10-01-2012, 11:13 AM

Things like Martin's Formula, Thompson's formula for Oblique crossed cylinders, spectacle magnification.

**Roy R. Ferguson** · 10-01-2012, 12:58 PM

When I’m teaching the advanced exam review one of the hints I give concerns Martins formula. For a plus lens, incorrect pantoscopic tilt will induce extra + sphere and + cylinder on the 180 axis. The huge hint is that change in spherical power of the lens for a given tilt is one third of the induced cylinder.

For instance, is a +10.00 D Sphere is tilted 15° the power would be +10.22 +0.73 X 180 (+10.25 +0.75 X 180).

If a -10.00 D Sphere is tilted 10° the power would be -10.10 -0.31 X 180.

Just pay attention to the relationship between the cylinder and sphere power. This is handy if you have total brain freeze and forget the formula.

Roy

**agr8194** · 10-02-2012, 06:29 AM

Thanks Roy. Sounds like if I remember the cylinder formula, I can just take a 1/3 of that for the sphere power change. Great tip! Less to remember.

Bob

**Tallboy** · 10-02-2012, 02:36 PM

I didn't even know they had the formulas in the test booklet when I recently took the ABO, lol shows how nervous I was I guess. Luckily I had a few old school types help me study. Calling me from their homes to quiz me and stuff while I'm trying to work.

edit: oh you guys are talking about the masters, I'm not there yet...

**optin** · 08-27-2014, 01:24 PM

Hi Roy this is off topic but I do not have your contact info and understand that you are very knowledgeable about practical exams. I have been working with groups from all over the country on ABO preparation and they email to let me know they passed but then many fail the practical. I recently heard that the number one reason for failing the practical in CT is frame adjustment and fitting. I would love to develop a document of what to know before taking a practical exam. Can you provide me with any information? Did you design the MA practical? Thanks for any help you can give.