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< Certification Levels

Certified Paraoptometric Assistant (CPOA)

CPOA Handbook for Candidates - PDF

Commission on Paraoptometric Certification announces fee increase for 2008 exams.

General Information

The Certified Paraoptometric Assistant Examination is prepared and administered by the American Optometric Association, Commission on Paraoptometric Certification (CPC), with the assistance of the Professional Testing Corporation. The purpose of this examination is to confirm a level of knowledge necessary to perform the functions of a paraoptometric assistant. Those who have successfully completed the examination will be certified with the Commission on Paraoptometric Certification as a Certified Paraoptometric Assistant (CPOA).

Objectives of Certification

The CPC promotes excellence in the field of optometric assisting by:

Recognizing formally those individuals who meet all requirements of the Commission on Paraoptometric Certification of the American Optometric Association;
Encouraging continued growth of the paraoptometric;
Establishing and measuring the level of knowledge required for certification of paraoptometrics; and
Promoting a standard of requisite knowledge required for certification; thereby assisting the employer, public, and members of the health professions in the assessment of paraoptometrics.

Eligibility

To sit for the Certified Paraoptometric Assistant Examination, one of the following requirements must be met:

Applicants must have earned the CPO title and verify a minimum of six months additional employment in the eye care field as a Certified Paraoptometric (CPO), or
Graduates or students currently enrolled and in good standing* in their last semester of study of an optometric assistant program are eligible to sit for the examination directly without meeting the above eligibility criteria. Test candidates will be considered paraoptometric students only if they are enrolled full time in a formal paraoptometric education program.
- Students are required to submit verification of successful completion of the program before their test results are released to them. The examination fee will not be refunded to students who do not complete their program.
The examination fee will not be refunded to students who do not complete their program
- Experience
  
  A. Proof of five years or more of experience. Employer must attest to this experience by completing the CPOA Reference Form
  
  B. You may substitute advanced current certifications from American Board of Opticianry (ABO); National Contact Lens Examiners(NCLE); Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology(JCAHPO). Documentation will be required.

NOTE:CPC certification examinations are designed for paraoptometrics who are trained and experienced and currently work in the optometric field. Candidates who do not meet the experience requirements may not be eligible for the certification level they are applying for.

Application Procedure

Obtain an application for the Certified Paraoptometric Examination online, request an application by phone (800-365-2219 ext. 4210), email or by mail to AOA CPC, 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141-7881.
The AOA CPC must receive the original application and appropriate fees for the examination by the listed deadline.
All correspondence regarding the application should be directed to the AOA CPC.
If you are completing a CPOA Reference Form, please allow 2-3 weeks for review/approval.

Fees for Examination

1. CPOA Examination Fee		$225
2. Student*		$100
3. Special Test Center		$125 (see CPOA Handbook for Candidates)
4. Rescheduling Fee		$100

A check or credit card information for the appropriate fee must accompany your application. Make check or money order payable to the American Optometric Association in U.S. funds. No refunds will be made.

*Test candidates will be considered paraoptometric students only if they are enrolled full time in a formal paraoptometric education program.

Study Outline

This outline provides content information for the CPOA - Certified Paraoptometric Assistant Examination. The following outline includes a brief explanation of the areas to be tested. You should be familiar with all the terms, their meaning and use, and the instrumentation needed for data gathering or testing procedures. This assistant examination confirms a level of knowledge to perform the functions of a paraoptometric assistant. All the questions on the examination are objective and multiple choice.

The following is a chart outlining the study guide. The pie chart represents the proportion of the test each section represents. Click on the section in the chart or the label to go to a section's details.

Practice Management (13%)
1. Office Procedures
2. Patient Handling
3. Office Finances
4. Professional Issues
Ophthalmic Optics and Dispensing (20%)
1. Prescriptions
2. Lenses
3. Frame Selection
4. Adjustment And Dispensing
Basic Procedures (20%)
1. Purpose and Preliminary Testing Procedures/Recording
2. Pupillary Responses
3. Case History
4. Visual Acuity
5. Color Vision
6. Stereo Acuity
7. Examination Instrumentation
Special Procedures (17%)
1. Contact Lenses
2. Tonometry
3. Visual Fields
4. Sphygmomanometry Purpose
5. First Aid
6. Low Vision
7. Surgery
Refractive Status Of The Eye And Binocularity (13%)
1. Refractive Errors
2. Refractive Conditions
3. Eye Movements
4. Binocular Vision
Basic Ocular Anatomy And Physiology (17%)
1. General Anatomy and Physiology
2. Basic Functions of Anatomical Structures
3. Common Pathological and Functional Disorders
4. Basic Ocular Pharmacology

NOTE: The Self Study Course for Paraoptometric Certification is a suggested source of reference material. For ordering information, click here.