Both the ABO and NCLE Advanced Exams will be offered at all exam sites during the exam dates listed for the basic exams.
ABO-NCLE Advanced Certification Programs
Our system and website will be down on June 16 and is expected to be up June 26. Please note that this will not affect anyone testing through Prometric this month, in June, and registration will still close on June 15th.
This is a planned outage for upgrades. The upgrade includes integrations and new features that will save you time while providing a seamless and intuitive experience.
Registration for the July-September 2023 testing window will now open on July 1st.
We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding.
In the rapidly changing field of vision care, more and more knowledge and skills are required of practitioners. ABO and NCLE Advanced Certifications focus specifically on the advanced level knowledge and skills needed for ophthalmic dispensing, that is providing spectacle, contact lens, and refraction services.
The Advanced Certification designations, ABOC-AC and NCLE-AC, are earned only after a practitioner has attained several years experience, completes a prescribed curriculum of advanced education, and achieves a passing score on the rigorous examinations, or are part of a State Licensing Board mandating the passing of the ABO and/or NCLE Advanced Examination(s). Test specifications are posted on this site.
Professionals with advanced certification credential are equipped to work in a variety of practice settings, such as: independent opticians, ophthalmology practices, university hospitals, commercial offices, HMO/managed care offices, optometric offices, large clinics, optical product manufacturers. In short, Advanced Certification equips you in all settings which provide eyeglasses and contact lens services to clients.
How Do I Earn Advanced Certification From ABO-NCLE?
Having earned the basic ABO or NCLE certification, and completed one recertification period (3 years) you are eligible to take the Advanced Examinations. Test Administration Procedures, including security, eligibility, distribution, scheduling, and other on-site exam-related information is all handled by our Testing Facility, ProMetric, and is located HERE. By applying for any ABO or NCLE Examinations, Candidates have agreed to the terms of the Security Requirements of ProMetric and ABO & NCLE. Additional information regarding the scheduling, on-site security, and other exam delivery information can be obtained by utilizing the "contact us " page.
Candidate COVID-19 FAQs: Prometric has created a new, dedicated page to host COVID-19-related FAQs for candidates. This new page, linked here, can be found by clicking the "COVID-19 update" tab on Prometric’s homepage and selecting "COVID-19 FAQ."
Update: Prometric no longer require candidates or test center personnel to wear masks unless required to do so by building management or local government mandates. In light of recent trends and mask mandate changes around the world, along with updated guidance from leading world health organizations, Prometric will not require masks to be worn in test centers, however they will continue to allow and encourage the wearing of masks regardless of mandate or vaccination status. Thus, any candidate or staff member that prefers to wear a mask will feel comfortable doing so.
Effective May 1st Prometric will allow candidates to bring water into the test room during their exam. Water must be in a clear or transparent container with a lid or cap. All labels must be removed, and the container will be inspected for notes or other test aids. The candidate will need to remove the lid/cap for visual inspection by the Test Center staff. Should the container not meet the requirements outlined, the candidate will be required to put it in their locker and will not be allowed to take it into the test room.
Remote Proctor testing is now available for both the NOCE and CLRE Advanced exams. Please make sure to review the User Guide to make sure you know what to expect the day of your remote exam. If for any reason you encounter any technical issues launching your exam, there is live chat available. Or, you can also contact Prometric’s technical support line at (800) 789-9947.
Before scheduling your exam using ProProctor, PLEASE click here and read the user guide that matches the type of computer you will be using to take your exam. Especially, if you are planning on using a MAC computer, as it will go over the required steps on how to avoid running into any issues launching your remote exam.
If a bathroom break is taken, the timer continues to run, and your exam will be reviewed by ABO-NCLE and any suspicious activity may reverse your exam results.
You may use a white board during your remotely proctored exam. You must supply your own white board, up to 3 dry erase marker(s) and eraser. The white board must be white in color and no larger than 8 ½ x 11 inches. You must erase all notes at the end of the exam. The Proctor will check to ensure all notes are erased.
If you have any further questions regarding your remote testing, please email us.
From administration to administration, the passing percentages for both the ABO and the NCLE Advanced exams change. For the year 2019, the ABO Advanced Examination had a 49.1% pass rate; the NCLE Advanced Examination had a 49.5% pass rate.
ABO Masters who are not currently ABO or NCLE certified, may obtain Advanced Certification by reinstatement or renewal of the expired Advanced Certification.
PLEASE NOTE: If a candidate fails an examination, he or she must wait fourteen (14) days, from the date they completed the examination, in order to register, pay, and retake that examination. They will have three (3) attempts in retaking the exam, after the third attempt, they will be required to wait ninety (90) days to be eligible to retake the exam.
What Are The Fees For The Advanced Examination?
The registration fee for either the ABO Advanced Exam or the NCLE Advanced Exam is $175.
Click HERE to download a copy of the Advanced Exam Handbook.
To complete our Disability Accommodation Form, please click HERE to download our Accommodation Request information. Once you are ready to submit your form, please click HERE.