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Core Competency Areas
The exam tests for 'Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities' (KSAs) in the following core competency areas:
19%Fundamentals of Eye Science
8%Front Office and Communications
22%Exam Pretesting and Clinical Practices
22%Corrective Lenses
14%Triage and Common Clinical Cases
3%Surgical Procedure Prep
6%Ocular Imaging
6%Role of the Optometric Assistant
Topical Breakdown
Use the following topical guide to help you prepare for the exam:
I. Fundamentals of Eye Science (19%)
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
- Optics
II. Front Office and Communications (8%)
- Communications and Public Relations
- Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
- Phone, Text and Email communications
- Scheduling
- Patient Arrival/late arrival
- Recalling systems
- Medical Ethics
III. Exam Pretesting and Clinical Practices (22%)
- Scribing
- History Taking
- Visual Acuities
- Pupillary Responses
- Extraocular muscle testing
- Visual fields: automated and confrontational
- Tonometry
- Keratometry
- Lensometry
- Refraction
- Prescriptions: Glasses and Contact lenses
IV. Corrective Lenses (22%)
- Spectacles
- Rigid Gas permeable lenses
- Soft contact lenses
- Advanced contact lenses: scleral, hybrid, therapeutic, etc.
V. Triage and Common Clinical Cases (14%)
- Ocular Urgencies and Emergencies
- Binocular vision disorders
- Dry Eye
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Macular Degeneration
- Diabetes
- Other Retinal Disorders
VI. Surgical Procedure Prep (3%)
- Aseptic Technique and assisting in surgery
- Minor in-office procedures
- Laser surgeries
- Refractive surgeries
- Cataract surgeries
- Customization of surgeries
VII. Ocular Imaging (6%)
- Ocular Photography
- Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
- Computerized Corneal Topography
- Specular microscopy
- Diagnostic Ultrasound
- Meibography and Tear Assessment
VIII. Role of the Optometric Assistant (6%)
- Computer Utilization – EHR/EMR skills
- Knowledge of Optometric Equipment
- Management of Contact Lenses
- Prescriptions: escribe for pharmacological prescriptions; contact lens prescriptions and spectacle prescriptions
- Certification of Optometry Skills
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