Optometric Assistant Study Guide

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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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