Education
Find a Doctor
Students
Benefits
Click the above graphic to learn more about optometrists, find a doctor, and access expert eye health and vision information.
Paraoptometrics
Becoming a paraoptometric member of the AOA + the NJSOP
Upcoming NJSOP CE events for Paraoptometrics
Who is a paraoptometric?
Paraoptometrics are allied health professionals who assist optometric physicians in providing their highest level of vision care to patients. Front office procedures, chair-side assistance, pre-testing, contact lens instruction, frame styling and fitting, billing/coding, office management and vision therapy are just a few of the many duties paraoptometrics perform while working directly with an optometric physician.
Paraoptometrics have the opportunity to become certified by the AOA Commission on Paraoptometric Certification (CPC). For more information visit https://www.aoa.org/paraoptometrics/certification
Becoming a member of the AOA Paraoptometric Section
AOA member doctors can enroll their paraoptometric staff in the AOA's Paraoptometric Resource Center (PRC) as an AOA associate member. This is a free member benefit for all of your para staff members.
This membership allows Para staff access to all current PRC member benefits and services. Again, this program comes at no cost to the paraoptometric and no cost to the AOA member doctor. Membership is renewed automatically every year, as long as the Para is still with the AOA doctor.
To enroll paraoptometric staff as AOA Associate members, just follow these simple steps:
- Make sure you have the legal name of the staff member (as it appears on their driver's license), their date of birth, and an email address unique to each staff person;
- Head to http://www.aoa.org and hover over the 'Optometrists' tab at the top of the page and click on the 'My Profile/My AOA' selection;
- Click the 'Manage Staff' tab;
- Enter information for each non-optometrist staff member you wish to enroll.
Once you've enrolled your staff as AOA Paraoptometric Resource Members they will automatically be registered as NJSOP paraoptometric members!
Upcoming NJSOP CE events for Paraoptometrics
Stay tuned for event announcements and details!
Articles & Resources
- Do you get questions about blue light? Learn more about it here!
- Paraoptometric Resources from the AOA
Contact
We're so lucky that two of the biggest proponents for paraoptometric education, membership, and involvement live right here in New Jersey! If you have questions, please reach out to Dr. Maria Richman, Chair of the NJSOP's Paraoptometric Committee (dr.richman@verizon.net) or Ms. Erlinda Rodriguez, CPO, Chair of the AOA's Paraoptometric Resource Center Committee (lindarodriguezcpo@gmail.com).
