In the past month, both supporters and critics of the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners have proposed an amendment to regulation 201 KAR 005:010. This amendment aims to improve licensure accessibility for individuals who received optometric education and training outside the United States, especially from Canada. Various statements have been made regarding the Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC) and the practice of optometry in Canada.
Meeting Members’ Expectations
The Canadian Board Exams in optometry assess the competencies deemed necessary for contemporary optometry practice by the provincial regulatory authorities. The OEBC develops and administers valid competency assessments that meet the expectations of its member authorities. Their interaction with members and stakeholders helps define essential competencies for both entry-to-practice and advanced procedures that must be evaluated.
Laser and Minor Surgical Procedures Exam
The OEBC has created a comprehensive assessment to evaluate the competencies required for performing limited injections and surgical/laser procedures on the human eye and surrounding areas, in line with the evolving practices in Canada. The Laser and Minor Surgical Procedures Exam will assure provincial regulatory authorities that certified optometrists can safely perform these procedures. Allowing optometrists to conduct these procedures will enhance patient access, reduce wait times, improve overall care, permit them to practice to the scope of their training, and modernize the profession. These procedures include:
- Injection of diagnostic or therapeutic pharmaceutical agents for the human eye and surrounding areas
- Minor surgical procedures for superficial, non-intraocular conditions performed under local anesthesia (both topical and injectable)
- Therapeutic laser procedures for ocular conditions, including peripheral iridotomy, selective laser trabeculoplasty, and Nd: YAG capsulotomy
Over time, the OEBC expects this assessment to become part of the entry-to-practice board exam.
Support for Optometry Program Accreditation
The standards set by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) apply to professional optometric degree programs in both the United States and Canada. Among these standards is the expectation that a program’s self-assessment includes its success in producing graduates who can pass relevant board examinations.
Additionally, programs must meet a minimum performance threshold when transitioning students into licensed optometric professionals. This threshold considers non-academic student attrition and those who opt out of licensure. Specifically, ACOE Standard 1.4, “Within six years of initial enrollment, at least 80% of entering students must be (1) licensed to practice optometry, or (2) pass all three parts of the NBEO examination series, or (3) pass all equivalent parts of the Optometry Examining Board of Canada registration examination series.”
Accredited optometry programs have sought feedback for the development of their curricula. In 2022, the OEBC aligned all exam scoring items with the 168 competencies outlined in the National Competency Model. This alignment allows the OEBC to provide feedback on key competencies, in addition to pass rates. Reports are issued annually in July and have been available since the 2022-2023 academic year.
Overall Advantages
Alignment with Canadian Standards: The OEBC exams are specifically designed to reflect the unique clinical and regulatory environment in Canada, including provincial scopes of practice, public health priorities, and bilingual requirements.
Transparency and Accountability: The OEBC is directly accountable to Canadian regulatory authorities, ensuring a higher degree of oversight and responsiveness to the needs of Canadian candidates and stakeholders.
Equity for Graduates: A unified licensing process eliminates the need for students to navigate multiple exams, reducing financial and logistical burdens while fostering a fairer playing field for all candidates.
Public Confidence: Establishing a single, consistent pathway to licensure and aligning with modern scopes of practice enhances public confidence in the competence and readiness of Canadian optometrists.
About OEBC
Founded in 1995 by Canada’s ten provincial optometry regulators, OEBC is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting public safety through psychometrically valid and defensible assessments of competencies. OEBC exams are developed by the profession, for the profession, and serve as a key quality assurance tool for both regulators and educational institutions.
For more information, see our website (visit http://www.oebc.ca).