Advanced Exam ABO

[Jstanfast]

Question about the Advanced exam which I am thinking about taking during the fall show.

On the ABO website they have an outline and one of the topics follows:

• Assess medical abnormalities of the customer’s/patient’s vision. What type of abnormalities do you think they are meaning? How advanced of abnormalities?

If you have never seen it here is the outline from the website...

Content Outline and Test Specifications for the American Board of Opticianry Advanced Certification Examination

I. Analyze and Interpret Visual Assessment

• Analyze customer’s/patient’s prescription.
• Recognize limitations of the prescription.
• Assess medical abnormalities of the customer’s/patient’s vision.

II. Design, Fit and Dispense Eyewear and Other Ophthalmic Devices

• Evaluate the customer’s/patient’s needs and wants.
• Evaluate the parameters of new and old eyewear.
• Design and market ophthalmic instrumentation and eyewear.
• Evaluate the results of facial, ocular, and frame measurements.
• Verify the ordered eyewear in accordance with specifications on the order form.
• Evaluate the eyewear in relation to the customer’s/patient’s head and face.
• Educate customers/patients on products and performance.
• Apply ophthalmic professional and legal guidelines.

III. Use of Ophthalmic Instrumentation

• Explain the use of ophthalmic instrumentation.
• Analyze the utilization of dispensing instrumentation.
• Determine method of fabrication and ordering.
• Apply knowledge of legal and professional requirements of equipment maintenance.

[Robert Martellaro]

Get a history of symptoms and patient concerns. Abnormal vision- blurred, haloes, flashing lights, floaters, diplopia, etc.

[sharpstick777]

I think "Assessing Medical Abnormalities" is either beyond the scope of practice for an Optician or poorly worded.
"Abnormalities may fit but only in the widest sense of the word, but it subtly conveys issues of medical nature that an Optician should only be referring to a qualified OD or OMD.

It should read "Record any Details of Complaints, or Visual or Health Issues the patient is may be experiencing."

[wmcdonald]

It does not indicate any kind of diagnosis, but assessing specific conditions.

[sharpstick777]

It does not indicate any kind of diagnosis, but assessing specific conditions.

I would think its phrased poorly then, in the specific context of "medical conditions" and not optical or visual conditions implies pathology, its a very fine line and confusing to me. Depending on what those conditions were its very close.

[wmcdonald]

I understand you thought process, but think about it this way. Nurses assess medical conditions, and refer for appropriate treatment. So should we. If we have a patient come in with suspected conjunctivitis (relatively easy to "assess") we should note it an refer. If a patient comes in with purulent discharge, and they do, we should assess and refer. Often they come to us first with myriad concerns. It costs them nothing to see us, and we should be able to intelligently refer. Unfortunately most Opticians are so poorly equipped to do even the optical work they have no idea what many of those conditions are. We need a standard, common education core in which every Opticians learns the necessary things to do the job. And we need to develop a standard for what that is in every state. Until that happens, these kinds of silly disagreements will remain the norm.

[sharpstick777]

You are correct on all counts, but you changed your wording to "assess and refer" that doesn't exist in the orignal. The context in the OP is specifically "medical abnormalities" which offers something out of the usual. What is an abnormality in a medical context? I really don't know what the guide is asking frankly.

I highly agree that Opticians should be well versed in Pathology (and systemic pathologies with ocular complications, like botulism), and the implications for both medical and ophthalmic care. I was fortunate to start on the MD side in a large busy practice, we saw everything. I had a lot of patients with serious and emergency medical conditions drop into the dispensary claiming their new eyewear was working well, and they left in an ambulance.

But I still find the original wording in the context of "assessing medical abnormalities" confusing, like the OP did. A combination of non-traditional words, without qualifiers or without the simple word "triage", can result in a wide interpretations of meaning, some of which would not be incorrect per the words but lie way beyond the intents of the author.

[wmcdonald]

It is obvious we disagree, so I wish you the best, as always. For me, I like the wording, and see absolutely nothing wrong with it. Naturally referral would come next if we saw any issues. Have a good evening.