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Certified Paraoptometric Assistant (CPOA)

CPOA™ - A person who has attained national recognition via certification by demonstrating the ability to apply the concepts used in optometric care

Click for 2012 CPOA^TM Candidate Handbook

Click for 2012 CPOA^TM Application

Click for 2012 CPOA^TM Sample Test Questions

What tasks does a Certified Paraoptometric (CPOA™) perform?

Under the supervision from an optometrist, the CPOA™ may perform technical duties such as taking detailed patient histories, measuring visual acuity, measuring the curvature of the cornea (Keratometry), glaucoma screening, blood pressure testing, and measuring the distance between the pupils of the eye.

Eligibility includes that applicants must have earned the CPO™ title, hold a current CPO™ designation, and verify a minimum of six months additional employment in the eye care field as a CPO™. Some candidates may sit directly for the CPOA examination by having met the "experience" criteria. Contact the CPC office for information.

What's the examination about?

The CPOA™ examination consists of 225 multiple choice questions related to practice management, basic and special procedures, ophthalmic optics and dispensing, refractive status of the eye, and basic ocular anatomy and physiology.

What content do I need to study?

The following outline includes a brief explanation of the areas covered on the CPOA™ examination (refer to the CPOA™ Handbook for Candidates for the full outline).

Practice Management (13%) – Office procedures, patient handling, office finances, and professional issues.

Ophthalmic Optics and Dispensing (20%) – Prescriptions, lenses, frame selection, and adjustments and dispensing.

Basic Procedures (20%) – Purpose and preliminary testing procedures and recording, pupillary responses, case history, visual acuity, color vision, stereo acuity and examination instrumentation. Special Procedures (17%) – Contact lenses, tonometry, visual fields, blood pressure, first aid, CPR, emergencies, low vision, and surgery.

Refractive Status of the Eye and Binocularity (13%) – Refractive errors, refractive conditions, eye movements, and binocular vision.

Basic Ocular Anatomy and Physiology (17%) – General anatomy and physiology, basic functions of anatomical structures, common pathological and functional disorders, and basic ocular pharmacology.

NOTE: Refer to the CPOA™ Candidate Handbook for eligibility and fees.