AOA suggests seeking certification in light of Paraoptometric Appreciation Month

The US equivalent of OAs in the UK are to be offered AOA associate membership and have access to services, programs, educational materials, and discounts on event registration fees, according to a news release.

“With Americans’ increasing demand for primary eye health and vision care services provided by doctors of optometry, paraoptometric staff play a vital role in the efficient and effective delivery of quality patient care,” the release stated. “The AOA is focused on equipping paraoptometric professionals with the education and resources necessary to build skillsets that can help practices meet this demand for care.”

The AOA suggests that practice staff should be enrolled as AOA associate members, which is a free process that allows member-doctors to grant access for staff to programs, services, educational materials, and discounts on event registration fees. AOA associate membership gains staff access to Commission on Paraoptometric Certification (CPC) and AOA approved CE and professional development.