Does the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation certify opticians?
• No, the COA is not the certifying body for opticians. Dispensing opticians may apply to the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and the National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) for certification of their skills. Certification must be renewed every 3 years through continuing education. Those licensed in States where licensing renewal requirements include continuing education credits may use proof of their renewed State license to meet the recertification requirements of the ABO. Likewise, the NCLE will accept proof of license renewal from any State that has contact lens requirements.
