AOC^® Continuing Education Guidelines for Maintaining Certification

 UPDATED CE Guidelines and Requirements 2022-2024 

STEP 1: CLICK HERE FOR 2024 RECERTIFICATION FORM TO PRINT OUT AND EMAIL 

 STEP 2: CLICK here to complete payment form 

The Council is sensitive to the difficulties many are facing in earning CE during and after COVID . We recognize that many planned to attend meetings which were cancelled, postponed, or held virtually. The good news is that there have been many webinars and zoom conferences and lectures locally, nationally, and internationally, most of which can be viewed (attended) live or after the fact. Some are free and others have a small registration fee. Please review the updated CE information and make note of which webinars can be included as core meeting attendance hours. 

THE COUNCIL RECOGNIZES AND APPROVES NON-CORE CE HOURS, HOWEVER, THE MAJORITY OF REQUIRED CE FOR ORTHOPTISTS MUST BE IN CORE TOPICS:

▸ At least 30 of the required 45 credits must be earned in CORE topics
▸ At least 10 credits must be from attendance at meetings in CORE topic area [see exceptions]
▸ CE credit is NOT awarded for CPR or exam review courses, coding, billing, or administrative office management

Note: Courses approved by IJCAHPO are not all in core topic areas and should not automatically be used as core topics

CORE CE: Individual questions can always be directed to the American Orthoptic Council ® for clarification

For a complete idea of Core Topics refer to the AOC Syllabus of Orthoptic Instruction and the Core Competency: Essential Skills for Orthoptists. Both contain material required of Orthoptists and form the basis of the didactic and clinical aspects of all AOC accredited Orthoptic Fellowship Programs as well as the basis of the written and oral/practical certifying examinations.

Click here to order 2023 Revised Syllabus and Core Competency

CORE TOPICS; examples:
 NEW: Understanding and applying clinical research to patient care in ophthalmology
 NEW: Clinical research methods directed to orthoptists, orthoptic students, residents and fellow in ophthalmology
 Ocular anatomy and neuroanatomy (and principles of visual fields)
 Sensory and Motor physiology
 Pharmacology
 Optics including: Refractometry and diagnostic/therapeutic use of prisms
 Assessment of visual acuity/visual function and fixation
 Detection and treatment of amblyopia
 Nystagmus
 Eye movement disorders: evaluation and measurements (including saccadic velocities)
 Diagnostic evaluation, testing, measurement, and treatment of:

• Congenital/acquired, paretic/non-paretic
• Special forms of strabismus to include Brown Syndrome, Duane Syndrome, Moebius Syndrome, Congenital Fibrosis, Floor fractures and Strabismus associated with systemic disease
• Orthoptic management/treatment

 Principles of strabismus surgery
 Electrophysiology principles: VER, VEP, ERG, EOG, OCT

NON-CORE TOPICS
The Council recognizes the benefit of education in all aspects of ophthalmology. Topics outside of the CORE areas which are most strongly recommended are related to the following topics and must be ophthalmology or orthoptist sponsored.
Non-core topic examples include:
 Child Development
 Low vision; assessment and aids
 Contact lenses
 Tonometry
 Ophthalmic photography
 Ophthalmic Operating room techniques
 Visual Field Testing and Principals

HOW TO EARN CE CREDITS

At least 10/45 hours of CE must be from “attendance” at meetings in CORE topics.
 In-person credits "attendance" for virtual meetings and live webinars will be allowed with the requirements listed below.

Meetings / Courses
 1:1 credit for attendance at AACO, AOC, FOREA, AAPOS, ophthalmology section of AAP, NANOS, or IJCAHPO symposia, meetings and/or courses.

•  NOTE: not all IJCAHPO approved CE coursed are in core topics
•  Limit of 15 IJCAHPO approved course hours per recertification cycle

 1:1 credit will be given to attendance at foreign meetings if sponsored/approved by recognized orthoptist or ophthalmology organizations (examples: IOC, COC, TCOS, CLADE, PAAO, ISA, ESA, WSPOS, IPOSC).

Publications/Presentations/Posters
 1:1 credit for instruction course presentation (2-hour course = 2 credits)
 10 credits for publication of a paper in a refereed journal
 5 credits for a talk at an AOC approved meeting (core or non-core topic)
 5 credits to author or presenter of AOC approved instructional video
 5 credits per author for a poster at an AOC recognized meeting
Note: If a presentation or poster follows the publication it may earn 2 not 5 credits. In combination the same material may earn 12 hours of CE. If the publication follows the presentation or poster the same work will receive 7 not 10 credits.

Webinars and Virtual Meetings: New* approvals!     

In-person credits "attendance" for virtual meetings and live webinars will be allowed with these requirements:

NEW: Past and future virtual AACO meetings are approved for “attendance at meeting”.
 A live webinar must include opportunities for questions and answers between attendees and the speaker.

 A post-session evaluation is required for attendees that reflects their attendance. If an evaluation is not provided by the meeting organizer, you must submit three points that were made by the speakers for every hour of CE attendance.             

1:1 credit will be given for webinars and/or virtual meetings with the target audience being orthoptists and/or pediatric ophthalmologists.

 NEW: A maximum of 45 credits from webinars and/or virtual meetings will be allowed every three years.

Informal Orthoptist Group Symposia/Case discussions
 2:1 Core CE for orthoptist informal group symposia:
 Maximum of 10 CE credits per renewal cycle

• These offerings may not be used to fulfill attendance at meetings.
• Approval requires post facto submission of meeting agenda and topics covered; including titles of articles discussed or diagnoses of patients discussed. 
• Include a list of attendees.