Certified Ophthalmic Technologist Exam - COMT® Study Guide
If you are a certified ophthalmic technician, then you are likely eligible to take the ophthalmic technologist (COMT®) certification exam. The only other way to COMT® exam eligibility is to graduate from an accredited training program. If you unfamiliar with the profession and you need some introductory information, go here.
Basic eligibility requirements for the COMT® exam: You must pass a written certification examination and a computerized skills examination. To be eligible for examination, you must work for at least three full years as a COT® and you must have 12 group A CE credits within the past 12 months.
Once you are ready to sign up for the exam, you will have some questions about what and how to study. That is what this COMT® exam study guide is about:
What do I need to study for the COMT® certification exam?
Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology publishes a PDF guide called the "Criteria for Certification and Recertification". This guide lists the "content areas" and "sub-content areas", or subject matter, that will be included on the exam. You can get your own copy by going to the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology website. Here is an example of a content area and the sub-content areas:
Content area: SUPPLEMENTAL SKILLS
Sub-content areas:
IOL power calculation
Low vision
A/C depth
Pachymetry
Tear Tests
♦ Schirmer
♦ BUT
♦ Rose Bengal
Calibration
♦ Biometry instruments
♦ Topography unit
Anterior chamber depth
Exophthalmometry
Glare testing
Color vision testing
Contact and Immersion A-Scan
Laser interferometry (IOL Master)
Wavefront diagnostics
Corneal sensitivity testing
There are 19 of these content areas, and over 100 sub-content areas on the COMT® exam. Now all you have to do is figure out where you can get study material that will cover all of this content. Something else to think about, since the field is constantly changing, the Joint Commission makes fairly frequent changes to the content areas, so make sure those resources are all up-to-date. Fortunately, there is help available.
I have been working as an ophthalmic technician for many years. Don't I have enough knowledge to pass the COMT® exam without having to study?
I have heard of people who have claimed that they passed the COA® certification exam without studying, but I have never heard anyone claim to pass the COMT® exam without studying. This exam costs $340 to take. I don't think I would take that chance, especially since a quality study resource is available.
I have a list of study resources from my co-workers. How do I know that everything I need to know is covered in these materials?
You don't really know, unless you take the time to cross-reference your study material with the exam content areas. This has already been done for you with the eyetec.net certified ophthalmic technologist exam prep course.
If I pass the written exam, there the skill evaluation that I will need to pass. Where can I find study material for the skill evaluation?
After you pass the written exam, you will need to pass a performance test before becoming certified. The skill areas that will be tested on the COMT® exam performance test are:
- Measure patient's ocular motility using prism and cover tests at a distance.
- Perform manual lensometry: Identify and measure prism.
- Perform fundus photography and identify fluorescein angiography phases.
- Measure, compare, and evaluate pupil function at a distance.
- Evaluate version and ductions, identifying any abnormalities
The eyetec.net COMT® exam prep course includes instructions for these skills.
Get more information about the eyetec.net certified ophthalmic technologist (COMT®) exam prep course.