About the NYS Practical Examination

[Lyrix76]

Hello, I'm hoping someone can help me out on this one.....I'm A.B.O.C. & am getting ready to sit for the NYS Practical Exam in April '07'. What I'd like to know is (and get ready for a series of ?'s lol). First off, I was told that you have to tell the examiner your every move, tell them every tool you're using, what you're doing with it, & why you're using it....is this true? I'm nervous as all you know what, so if someone can please assist me in letting me know exactly what it is, I should be studying, I'd be eternally grateful to them. Also, will there be a lensometer in the room? Speaking of lensometers (I know this is a completely diff. ?, but I currently have an AO Powerrite II model 11360 & would really like to know how you calibrate the darn thing, & where I may possibly purchase a lens marker for it, since it came with none! It also gets wayyy too hot & I'm wondering if that would be an electrical fire danger issue :0( If anyone can help me on either subject, I'd really appreciate it, although I am very much concerned w/the practical more than anything else. Thank You All so much for any help.

[Ed_Optician]

As far as the lensometer goes...turn the instrument off when not using it. Bulbs for optical instruments are rather expensive. An inexpensive footswitch is a great bulb saver....step on it it turns on remove foot from pedal the bulb turns off. Calibration of most lensometers is as follows use a Younger Gaugemaster as a stantard verify that when the power drum is set to PLANO the meiers are clear then repeat process with both plus and minus lenses if +/- are off adjust the lens stop so that they are clear at their respective powers or balanced to equal minimal error
As far as the NY practical goes lens identification / neutralization you have little contact with the examiners
Bench alignment / frame adjustments you are observed by 2 examiners. One examiner mangles a glazed metal frame that you brought for the exam...bring 2 just in case. I used to recoment cottet 2000 frames for that reason. You then bench align the frame using appropriate tools make sure you do not mar the frame
One examiner will then questiuon you about problems you verbally tell them what adjustment to make then they will tell you to make the adjustment then they examine the adjustment
3rd part Rx analysis/fitting You are given a patient profile old/new rx occupation and optical concerns. You are also presented with 3-4 frames to fit one of the examiners with and fit with an appropriate multifocal lens. You will also write up an approproiate lab order forr this frame

Good Luck on hte exam

Ed