Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

What does the State Board of Dispensing Opticians do?

(A.R.S. §32-1673) The Board regulates the opticianry profession through administering examinations, issuing licenses to qualified opticians and optical establishments, proposing legislation, enacting rules and regulations and resolving complaints brought to the Board against licensed opticians and optical establishments.

What is a Dispensing Optician?

(A.R.S. §32-1671.3) "Dispensing optician" means any person, except as provided in section A.R.S. §32-1691, who dispenses lenses, contact lenses, frames, artificial eyes, optical devices, appurtenances thereto or parts thereof to the intended wearer on written prescription from a duly licensed physician or optometrist, and in accordance with such prescription interprets, measures, adapts, fits or adjusts the same for the aid or correction of visual or ocular anomalies of the human eye or who duplicates, replaces, reproduces or repeats the same without prescription when there is no change in refractive value, provided that contact lenses shall never be dispensed without a written contact lens prescription being on file in any optical establishment, office of an optometrist or office of a physician or verbal confirmation of that written prescription. The dispensing optician shall advise the intended wearer at the time that contact lenses are delivered to return to the prescribing physician or optometrist for evaluation and follow-up care.

What is the difference between a Dispensing Optician, an Optometrist and an Ophthalmologist?

A Dispensing Optician makes and/or sells (fits) the eyeglasses or contacts. An Optometrist is the doctor who does the examination and writes the prescription. An Ophthalmologist is a medical doctor specializing in diseases of the eye.

When are my Continuing Education Credits due?

Contact the Board office if you have any questions about submitting Continuing Education Credits. Evidence of having completed at least 12 credit hours are due every three years. Your renewal applications will indicate if your credits are due this year.

What Continuing Education Credits are required?

Of the 12 hours of continuing education, at least 4 hours in eyeglass fitting and dispensing, at least 3 hours of contact lens fitting and dispensing, and at least one hour of state or national opticianry standards are required.

Who are ABO and NCLE?

ABO and NCLE are national not-for-profit organizations for the voluntary certification of ophthalmic dispensers.
ABO, the American Board of Opticianry, certifies opticians — those who dispense and work with spectacles.
NCLE, the National Contact Lens Examiners, certifies those ophthalmic dispensers who fit and work with contact lenses.

Successful completion of both ABO and NCLE examinations are required to become licensed in Arizona.

How does someone take the ABO and NCLE exams?

You may contact the ABO-NCLE at www.abo-ncle.org or at 1-703-719-5800. Exams are given in May and November of each year.

When is the Arizona Practical Examination offered?

The state practical examination is offered in on the first Wednesday of March and September of each year. The deadline for submitting the application is 45 days prior to the exam. (A.A.C. R4-20-103)