Ophthalmic Optics
25%of exam
Anatomy + Refraction
10%of exam
Ophthalmic Products
20%of exam
Instrumentation
15%of exam
Dispensing Procedures
20%of exam
Laws + Standards
10%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- NOCE
- Credential
- ABO Basic
- Focus
- Spectacle dispensing
- Time
- 2 hours
- Items
- 125 total
- Scored
- 100 blueprint
- Fee
- $225
- Scoring
- Modified Angoff
- Delivery
- Prometric or remote
Transposition
Add sphere, flip cyl, rotate axis.
Plus vs Minus
Plus
- Converges light
- Thick center
- Hyperopia
Minus
- Diverges light
- Thick edge
- Myopia
Center vs edge
Rx Math
- Sphere
- All meridians
- Cylinder
- Astigmatic difference
- Axis
- No cylinder power
- Add
- Near extra plus
- SE
- Sphere plus half cyl
- Transpose
- Add flip rotate
- Plano
- Zero power
- Balance
- Cosmetic companion lens
Prentice Rule
P equals cF; mm becomes cm.
Sphere vs Cylinder
Sphere
- All meridians
- Simple power
- No axis
Cylinder
- One meridian
- Astigmatism
- Needs axis
All vs one
Prism + Formulas
- Prentice
- P equals cF
- c
- Decentration in cm
- F
- Lens power
- BI
- Base nasal
- BO
- Base temporal
- BU
- Base up
- BD
- Base down
- Slab-off
- Vertical imbalance aid
NOCE Weights
Optics leads; products and dispensing follow.
OC vs MRP
OC
- No prism
- Optical center
- Single-vision focus
MRP
- Prescribed prism
- Reference point
- PAL verification
Zero vs ordered
Lens Behavior
- Plus lens
- Thick center
- Minus lens
- Thick edge
- OC
- Zero prism point
- MRP
- Prism reference point
- Base curve
- Front surface curve
- Abbe
- Dispersion measure
- Index
- Light bending
- Aspheric
- Flatter periphery
Eye Parts
- Cornea
- Major refraction
- Iris
- Controls pupil
- Lens
- Accommodation
- Retina
- Neural image
- Macula
- Central detail
- Fovea
- Sharpest acuity
- Optic nerve
- Brain signal
- Aqueous
- Anterior fluid
Refraction + Pathology
- Myopia
- Minus correction
- Hyperopia
- Plus correction
- Astigmatism
- Unequal meridians
- Presbyopia
- Lost accommodation
- Amblyopia
- Reduced best vision
- Cataract
- Clouded lens
- Glaucoma
- Pressure risk
- AMD
- Macula damage
Poly vs High-Index
Poly
- Impact priority
- Low Abbe
- Children/safety
High-index
- Thickness priority
- Often needs AR
- Strong Rx
Safety vs thinness
Product Picker
- Child or sports→Polycarbonate(Impact)
- Rimless frame→Trivex(Drillable)
- High minus→High-index(Thin edge)
- Night glare→AR coating(Reflections)
- Water glare→Polarized(Horizontal glare)
- Outdoor changes→Photochromic(UV tint)
Lens Materials
- CR-39
- Clear economical plastic
- Polycarbonate
- Impact resistant
- Trivex
- Impact plus clarity
- High-index
- Thinner strong Rx
- Glass
- Scratch resistant
- Photochromic
- UV darkening
- Polarized
- Horizontal glare filter
- AR
- Reflection reduction
Photochromic vs Polarized
Photochromic
- UV activated
- Indoor clears
- Car limits
Polarized
- Glare filter
- Water/road
- LCD issues
Tint change vs glare
Lens Designs
- Single vision
- One correction
- Flat-top
- Lined bifocal
- Round seg
- Less image jump
- Trifocal
- Distance intermediate near
- PAL
- No-line multifocal
- Office lens
- Near intermediate
- Lenticular
- High power carrier
- Safety lens
- Impact standard
Frames
- Eye size
- Lens width
- Bridge
- DBL fit
- Temple
- Side length
- ED
- Largest lens diameter
- A
- Horizontal box
- B
- Vertical box
- Titanium
- Light hypoallergenic
- Zyl
- Plastic frame
Instrument Picker
- Unknown lens power→Lensmeter
- Base curve needed→Lens clock
- Measure PD→Pupillometer
- Vertex needed→Distometer
- Thickness needed→Calipers
- Warm zyl→Frame warmer
Instruments
- Lensmeter
- Neutralize power
- Lens clock
- Surface curve
- Calipers
- Thickness measurement
- PD ruler
- Manual PD
- Pupillometer
- Digital PD
- Distometer
- Vertex distance
- Pliers
- Frame adjustment
- Warmer
- Plastic softening
Verification
- Distance power
- Verify first
- Cylinder axis
- Check tolerance
- Add power
- Read near zone
- Prism
- Reticle displacement
- OC height
- Vertical placement
- Seg height
- Multifocal placement
- PAL marks
- Layout references
- Base curve
- Duplicate comfort
Fit Triangle
Nose, ears, lenses share weight.
PD vs Seg Height
PD
- Horizontal
- Pupil spacing
- Avoids prism
Seg height
- Vertical
- Near zone
- Frame dependent
Across vs up
Complaint Picker
- Distance blur→Verify Rx
- Near blur→Check add
- PAL nonadapt→Check height
- Diplopia→Check prism
- Frame slips→Adjust temples
- Pain or redness→Refer back
Dispensing Fit
- History
- Lifestyle needs
- Monocular PD
- Each eye
- Near PD
- Convergence reduced
- Seg height
- Lower lid area
- PAL height
- Fitting cross
- Vertex
- Lens-eye distance
- Panto tilt
- Bottom inward
- Face form
- Wrap angle
Adjustments
- Slides down
- Tighten temples
- Lashes hit
- Increase vertex
- Cheek touch
- Raise pads
- One lens high
- Adjust opposite temple
- Crooked frame
- Check triangle
- Nose marks
- Widen pads
- Ear pain
- Relax bend
- PAL swim
- Check fit
Rule Stack
FTC releases; FDA protects; OSHA shields.
NOCE vs CLRE
NOCE
- Spectacles
- ABO Basic
- Frames/lenses
CLRE
- Contacts
- NCLE Basic
- Fitting/care
Glasses vs contacts
Standards Picker
- Rx withheld→FTC rule
- Lens impact→FDA rule
- Work hazard→OSHA PPE
- Safety marking→ANSI Z87
- Power tolerance→ANSI Z80
- Medical complaint→Refer prescriber
Laws + Standards
- FTC
- Release Rx
- FDA
- Impact resistance
- OSHA
- Workplace eye PPE
- ANSI Z80
- Ophthalmic tolerances
- ANSI Z87
- Safety eyewear
- HIPAA
- Protect PHI
- Duty warn
- Explain limits
- State law
- Licensure controls
FDA vs FTC
FDA
- Impact lenses
- Drop-ball rule
- Safety requirement
FTC
- Rx release
- Consumer choice
- No purchase condition
Lens safety vs access
Common Traps
NOCE vs contact lenses
NOCE is spectacles ≠ CLRE is contacts
Pilot vs scored items
125 total items ≠ 100 blueprint items
Raw score myth
No raw percent ≠ Angoff standard
Millimeters vs centimeters
Prentice uses cm ≠ PD uses mm
Axis vs power
Axis has no cyl ≠ Power 90 away
Tint vs polarization
Tint reduces light ≠ Polarization cuts glare
Adaptation vs pathology
Mild swim adapts ≠ Pain needs referral
Fashion vs safety
Dress is impact ≠ Safety needs Z87
Last Minute
- 1.Optics is 25%
- 2.Products and dispensing: 20%
- 3.Instruments are 15%
- 4.Anatomy and law: 10%
- 5.Transpose: add flip rotate
- 6.Prentice: P equals cF
- 7.Convert mm to cm
- 8.Plus thick center
- 9.Minus thick edge
- 10.Poly for impact
- 11.FTC releases Rx
- 12.FDA requires impact resistance
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