Toughest Licensure Requirements

[Uilleann]

So? Who gets the prize?

Which state, in your esteemed opinion, is the absolute toughest to license in as of 2013? Why do you feel it rates as the hardest of them all?

Discuss...

[sharpstick777]

Good discussion... Uilleann. I think New York as the toughest... but New Jersey, Florida, Nevada, Virginia, Massachusetts have solid reps.

I think Washington and Virginia are the only 2 states where Opticians can fit and RX contacts, so their contact portions are tougher. So it may depend on what your weakness is.

[Wes]

South Carolina requires the NOCE and a practical exam of everyday opticianry skills. It's easy if you're a good optician, and hard if you're not.

[Barry Santini]

I think NJ may be the toughest, or perhaps CT.

B

[SharonB]

Hands down - CT, NJ, and NY in that order....followed by FL. BTW - opticians in NY & CT. can also fit contacts.

[Wes]

NY still? I heard it used to be a beast, but was watered down something awful.

[Uilleann]

Sounds like Jersey is the one on top with the most mentions so far. Why? Are the dispensers there all upper crust stuff everywhere perhaps? Anyone here from the 'Garden of the east' and can comment first hand as to what and why the regs there are what they are? (Extra interesting to me as I'm from there, originally.)

[Wes]

I suspect NJ has that reputation because of the 30 credit hours in optical sciences requirement.

I work with a guy who says he was a NJ optician at the time they instituted the requirement and that they didn't grandfather. Sounds sketchy to me, but that's his story.

[Wes]

New Jersey StateBoard of Examiners of Ophthalmic Dispensers and Ophthalmic Technicians
PO Box 45011
Newark, NJ 07101
Phone: 973/ 504-6435
Fax: 973/ 648-3355
• Passing of state practical examinations
• 36 months apprenticeship & 30 credits in Ophthalmic
science from accredited program, or
• A.A.S. degree in Opthlalmic science & 4 months
of apprenticeship
• Other state opticianry licenses not recognized

[Wes]

New York State Board of Ophthalmic Dispensing
Cultural Education Center, Room 3019
Albany, NY 12230
Phone: 518/ 474-6374
Fax: 518/ 474-6375
• Passing of NOCE & NCLE
• Passing of state practical examinations
• 2 years registered apprenticeship, or,
• 2 years formal opticianry education
• High school graduate
• Other state opticianry licenses not recognized

[Wes]

Connecticut Board of Medical Quality Assurance
410 Capital Avenue, MS# 12APP
PO Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134
Phone: 860/ 509-7563
Fax: 860/ 509-8457
• Passing of NOCE & NCLE
• Passing of state proactical examinations
• Passing of state law written examinations
• 4 years registered apprenticeship, or
• 2 years approved accredited program
• Opticianry licenses from other states
will be recognized with Board approval

[Wes]

Florida Department of Health
Board of Opticianry
4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C-08
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3258
Phone: 850/ 245-4474
Fax: 850/ 921-5389
• Passing of NCOE and NCLE
• Passing of state practical examinations
• Passing of written FL rules & regulations examinations
• 3 years registered apprenticeship, or,
• A.S. from COA accredited program
• High school graduate & 18 years of age

[Wes]

Massachusetts Board of Registration of DispensingOpticians
239 Causeway Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617/ 727-5339
Fax: 617/ 727-1627
• Passing of NOCE & NCLE
• Passing of state practical examinations
• 3 years registered apprenticeship, or,
• 2 years formal opticianry education

[Wes]

Nevada State Board of Dispensing Opticians
PO Box 70503
Reno, NV 89570
Phone: 775/ 853-1421
• Passing of NOCE & NCLE
• Passing of state practical examinations
• 3 years registered apprenticeship, or,
• 2 years formal opticianry educatrion, plus
1 year of apprenticeship.
• High school graduate & 18 years of age

[Wes]

Virginia State Board of Opticians
Department of Commerce
3600 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230-4917
Phone: 804/ 367-8500
• Passing of NOCE & state practical examinations
• 3 years apprenticeship, or,
• 2 years at approved opticianry program
• 18 years of age
• Opticanry licenses from other states
will be recognized per Board approval

[Wes]

Washington Dispensing Opticians Examining Committee
Department of Health
PO Box 47870
Olympia, WA 98504-7870
Phone: 360/ 236-4948
Fax: 360/ 586-0745
• Passing of state written & practical examinations
• 3 years apprenticeship, or,
• 2 years at approved opticianry program, or
• 5 years practicing optician inother state
• 18 years of age

[Barry Santini]

Optical sciences does not sell glasses.

B

[Wes]

Optical sciences does not sell glasses.

B

And salesmanship does not sell appropriate, correctly made glasses. While the debate about the importance of salesmanship vs opticianry knowledge rages on, I think we can agree that both are important. A salesperson selling crap glasses isn't any better than an optician that can't sell very well.

[Barry Santini]

And salesmanship does not sell appropriate, correctly made glasses. While the debate about the importance of salesmanship vs opticianry knowledge rages on, I think we can agree that both are important. A salesperson selling crap glasses isn't any better than an optician that can't sell very well.

Yes, Wes...On this we can agree. But my point is that over emphasizing optical science as the sole focus is an paradigm whose time as past. It is many things. And many of them are not hard sciences.

They're...well, for an optician...kinda fuzzy.

​B

[uncut]

You might call it...................craft vs art. Why can't it be both?

[Judy Canty]

Virginia State Board of Opticians
Department of Commerce
3600 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230-4917
Phone: 804/ 367-8500
• Passing of NOCE & state practical examinations
• 3 years apprenticeship, or,
• 2 years at approved opticianry program
• 18 years of age
• Opticanry licenses from other states
will be recognized per Board approval

Virginia requires related instruction as a part of its apprenticeship program. Most courses are 3 years. Also requires a separate licensing exam, written and practical, for a contact lens license.

[Wes]

Thanks. That data was originally pulled from OAA's website.

[Johns]

Good discussion..

I think Washington and Virginia are the only 2 states where Opticians can fit and RX contacts, so their contact portions are tougher. So it may depend on what your weakness is.

Ohio is one of the more lax states but they do allow the fitting of contacts by appropriately licensed opticians. I say appropriately, because there is an additional test required for contact lens fitting. It's the NCLE.

[kat]

AZ requires
3 years apprent
ABO and NCLE
US Citizenship
Good Moral standing
State Practical test, including K-readings and Radioscope and lensometer
18 years old
no felony convictions
3 letters of reccomendation
They also will offer the License to those holding other States Licenses

[Judy Canty]

BTW, any more info from the committee of "movers and shakers" in Opticianry? Sorry, I've forgotten the official name.