Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) Examination v3
This examination is comprised of a three hour, 210-item computer-administrated examination covering the scope of practice of an ophthalmic assistant. Allied Ophthalmic Personnel seeking certification at the COA level are required to meet one of the prerequisites outlined above to apply to sit for the examination.
- Type Validation
- Level Foundational
- Time Months
- Cost Paid
Skills
- Clinical Patient Care
- Contact Lens Evaluation
- Keratometry
- Lensometry
- Ocular Anatomy And Physiology
- Ocular Motility
- Ophthalmic Assessment
- Ophthalmic Assistant Techniques
- Ophthalmic Equipment Maintenance
- Ophthalmic Optics and Refractometry
- Patient History Taking
- Pupil Assessment
- Tonometry
- Visual Assessment
Earning Criteria
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The skills and/or knowledge measured include history taking, pupillary assessment, contact lenses, equipment maintenance and repair, lensometry, keratometry, medical ethics, legal, and regulatory issues, microbiology, pharmacology, ocular motility, assisting in surgical procedures, ophthalmic patient services and education, ophthalmic imaging, refractometry, spectacle skills, supplemental skills, tonometry, visual assessment, and visual fields.
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Prerequisite: Graduate of a formal ophthalmic clinical assistant education training program approved by International Council of Accreditation (ICA); graduate of a formal training program and at least 500 hours of work experience under the supervision of an ophthalmologist; or completion of an independent study course and at least 1,000 hours of work experience.