AOC® Continuing Education Guidelines

The Council is sensitive to the difficulties many are facing in earning CE during 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 orthoptist. Click here to order.

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 measurement [including saccadic velocities]
• Diagnostic evaluation, testing, measurement, and treatment of

o Congenital/acquired, paretic/non-paretic

o Special forms of strabismus to include Brown Syndrome, Duane Syndrome, Moebius Syndrome, Congenital Fibrosis,  Floor fractures & Strabismus associated with systemic disease

o 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 approved courses 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

HOW TO EARN CE CREDITS

• 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.           o NOTE: not all IJCAHPO approvals are in core topics           o 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 orthoptic 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.

          o These offerings may not be used to fulfil attendance at meetings

          o Approval requires post facto submission of meeting agenda and topics covered including titles of articles discussed or diagnoses of patients discussed 

          o Include a list of attendees.

QUIZZES from the American Orthoptic Journals (AOJ) and Journal of Binocular Vision and Ocular Motility (past and present are available online)

• All questions are based on the content in each article, no prior knowledge necessary.
• COST: $50 per quiz
• 5 Core hours of CE awarded per quiz successfully completed.
• 2 quizzes per JBVOM issue available
• 2 quizzes per volume still available from AOJ volumes 47-67 (AOJ back issues are available online

AOC Approved Basic Science DVDs: order from AOC.veronica@gmail.com

• 1:1 core credit for viewing AOC approved videos.
• 7 hours of CE can be earned if quiz is successfully completed AAO Basic Science Course Sections V and VI 
• 15 core CE per volume with proof of completed quiz
• Contact AAO or AOC for instructions to obtain quiz; no fees charged.
• 15 non-core credits for other sections

AACO Self-Assessment Quiz

• 5 core credits for successful completion of quiz
• AACO members can request quiz from AACO Education Committee Chair Self-Study: not to exceed 5 credits per year
• 1:4 credit (1 credit per 4 hours of contact) offerings without prior AOC CE approval: “hands-on workshops”, viewing poster sessions, core topic reading from textbooks, journals or audio cassettes and videos.

The 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.

NEW: Both are now available for purchase from the AOC Home Office or can be ordered online and paid via pay pal.

HAVE YOUR CE READY TO SUBMIT

IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO COLLECT ALL CE EARNED DURING THE YEAR IN A SEPARATE FOLDER

INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS REGARDING CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT HOURS

SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO: AMERICAN ORTHOPTIC COUNCIL®

608 233-5383 or AOC.Veronica@gmail.com

If you want a call back to discuss details send a message with a call back phone number and the best time to reach you.

For CE committee to review your CE request, please fill out the form here.