How to become a contact lens specialist

How to become a Contact Lens Specialist

Becoming a contact lens specialist involves completing standard optometry education and then pursuing specialized contact lens training and clinical experience. Here’s an overview of the pathway to the career:

Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Most students complete a bachelor’s degree in a science-related field such as biology, physiology, or health science. Prerequisite courses usually include biology, chemistry, physics, and math.

Take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT)
The Optometry Admission Test is a standardized examination designed to measure general academic ability and comprehension of scientific information. The OAT is sponsored by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) for applicants seeking admission to an optometry program. All schools and colleges of optometry in the United States and the University of Waterloo, Canada (the only provider of English-language instruction for optometry in Canada) require the OAT.

The OAT consists of four tests: Survey of the Natural Sciences (Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry), Reading Comprehension, Physics, and Quantitative Reasoning.

Complete a Doctor of Optometry (OD) Degree
This is a four-year professional program, required both in the United States and Canada, encompasses classroom learning in optics, ocular anatomy, diseases of the eye, pharmacology, and vision science. Clinical rotations, which provide practical, hands-on experience, typically include contact lens fitting, prescribing, and patient management.

To become a registered optometrist in the UK, you must complete a General Optical Council (GOC)-approved optometry degree and then undertake a 12–18-month pre-registration training scheme, which involves practical experience.

Obtain Licensure
You must pass a licensing exam to practise:

• US – Pass the three-part exam series administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO). Part I: Applied Basic Science, which tests fundamental knowledge of ocular and systemic systems; Part II: Patient Assessment and Management (PAM), which evaluates clinical decision-making through case studies; and Part III: Patient Encounters and Performance Skills (PEPS), which assesses practical clinical abilities in patient interactions and skills. Canadians who wish to pursue a residency in the US must complete the NBEO exam.
• Canada – The Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC) administers the registration and jurisprudence exams required to practise optometry in Canada.
• UK – Pass the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and then register with the general Optical Council to practise.

Complete a Cornea and Contact Lens Residency (Optional but Highly Recommended)
Throughout this 12-to-13-month-long post-doctoral program, optometrists gain advanced clinical training and expertise in fitting specialty contact lenses, managing complex corneal diseases, and co-managing anterior segment and refractive surgery. Features of the residency include extensive supervised patient care, lectures, seminars, journal clubs, research, presentations to peers, faculty, and other practitioners, and hands-on experience with various diagnostic technologies and contact lens designs.

Pursue Certifications
Contact lens specialists can earn a variety of voluntary credentials to demonstrate advanced expertise beyond general optometry practice. Here’s a look at some of the most respected certifications:

• ABO-NCLE Certifications – The National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) and the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) administer two levels of certification in contact lens dispensing and fitting: the Basic Contact Lens Registry Exam (CLRE) and the Advanced Contact Lens Registry Exam (ACRE).
• Fellow of the Contact Lens Society of America (FCLSA) – This is a high-level recognition in contact lens practice, covering specialty fittings and advanced techniques.
• Fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society (FSLS) – This credential validates expertise in lens design, fitting, and management for irregular corneas and ocular surface disease, or severe dry eye.
• Fellow of the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control (FIAOMC) – This credential validates specialized training in fitting overnight lenses that temporarily reshape the cornea to reduce myopia or other refractive errors.
• Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) – This credential recognizes advanced clinical knowledge and skill, with specialization options in contact lenses and cornea.
• Fellow of the British Contact Lens Association (FBCLA) – The BCLA Fellowship scheme recognizes contributions and commitments in the field of contact lenses and/or the anterior eye.
• Specialty Contact Lens Certifications – Various universities, industry partners, and professional societies offer targeted training in RGP (rigid gas-permeable) contact lenses, pediatric lenses, therapeutic/bandage lenses, and emerging technologies.

Continue Professional Development
Contact lens specialists often pursue continuing education to maintain licensure and stay current with new lens technologies and fitting techniques.

Professional Organizations
In addition to the certifying bodies referenced above in the Certifications section, the following organizations also support contact lens specialists and the broader optometric and ophthalmologic community:

• American Academy of Optometry – Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses and Refractive Technologies – serving as a primary source for papers, courses, information, and research regarding all phases of corneal anatomy and physiology with an emphasis on either clinical contact lens or refractive technology
• International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) – focusing on global contact lens education and research for eye care professionals
• American Optometric Association (AOA) – the leading professional organization for doctors of optometry, optometry students, and paraoptometric staff
• Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) – supporting optometrists with clinical guidelines, continuing education, and advocacy in Canada
• World Council of Optometry (WCO) – an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting eye health and vision care as a human right by advancing the optometric profession globally through advocacy, education, and humanitarian outreach
• International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) – offering resources and training programs relevant to vision rehabilitation and low vision care globally