(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 investigating complaints brought to the Board against licensed opticians and optical establishments.
FAQ
What does the State Board of Dispensing Opticians do?
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?
Evidence of having completed at least 12 credit hours are due every three years. Under the Resources/Continuing Education your name and license number indicate if your credits are due in any given year. Check the Continuing Education page for a list of who is due when.
December 31 is a certain deadline for the three-year period of continue education completion.
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 or What is ABO and NCLE or NCSORB ?
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.NCSORB, National Commission of State Opticianry Regulatory Boards
Successful completion of both ABO and NCLE or NCSORB examinations are required to become licensed in Arizona.
How does someone take the ABO and NCLE or NCSORB exams?
ABO/NCLE www.abo-ncle.org(link is external) 6506 Loisdale Road Suite 230 Springfield, VA 22150 703-719-5800 or
NCSORB Email: [email protected] www.ncsorb.org(link is external) 2025 Woodlane Dr. Woodbury, MN 55125 855-208-9349
Written and Practical Examination
The Written and practical examination for Spectacle and Contact Lens are offered by:
**ABO/NCLE www.abo-ncle.org(link is external) 6506 Loisdale Road Suite 230 Springfield, VA 22150 703-719-5800
**NCSORB Email: [email protected] www.ncsorb.org(link is external) 2025 Woodlane Dr. Woodbury, MN 55125 855-208-9349
ABO - American Boad of Opticianry
NCLE - National Contact Lense Examiners
NCSORB - National Commission of State Opticianry Regulatory Boards
How can an optician or establishment report any changes on their profile?
You may go on elicense.az.gov under Service Request or contact the Board office by e-mail: [email protected] or phone call to 602-542-8158. Include your name, license number, old address, phone number and new address with current phone number or any other status changes.
