Notice of Proposed Rule

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Board of Opticianry
RULE NO: RULE TITLE
64B12-9.001: Examination for Licensure
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The amended language will modify examinations procedures.
SUMMARY: The rule amendment will modify examination procedures.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 456.017(1), (5), 484.005 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 456.017(1), (5) FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN FAW.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Sue Foster, Executive Director, Board of Opticianry, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #C08, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3253

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

64B12-9.001 Examination for Licensure.

(1) There shall be five three parts to the examination for Florida Licensure in opticianry: a national written opticianry competency examination; a national written contact lens examination; a neutralization examination; a dispensing problems examination; and a state board approved practical examination.

(2) through (5) No change.

(6) Applicants, who have been certified eligible by the board, having completed all requirements, will be admitted to take the neutralization, the dispensing problems, and the practical examinations. An applicant who has completed all the requirements for the state board approved practical examination and who has been certified eligible by the Board will be admitted to the practical examination.

(7) The neutralization portion of the practical examination for opticianry licensure shall require candidates to neutralize lenses within the tolerances set out in the American National Standard (Z80.1-1987) A score of at least seventy percent (70%) shall be required to pass the neutralization examination which is incorporated herein by reference to achieve a score of seventy percent (70%).

(8) The dispensing problems examination for opticianry licensure shall be taken via computer at a testing center. A score of at least seventy percent (70%) shall be required to pass the dispensing problems examination.

(9)(8) The remainder of the practical examination for opticianry licensure shall consist of and be graded as to each part as follows, as relates to all optical devices:

(a) Measuring and Calipering 20%

(b) Lens Identification

(c) Fitting and Adjusting

(d) Pupilary Distance

Taking a P.D., Lens I.D., and Fitting

and Adjustments 40%

Practical Dispensing 40%

Grading tolerances for measuring and calipering shall be as follows: For each section of the practical, grading tolerances shall be as follows:

Measuring and Calipering

thickness ± .2mm

base curve ± .25 diopters

length ± 2mm

mechanical ± 1mm

width ± 1mm

decentration ± 1mm

Grading tolerances for pupilary distance shall be as follows:

Monocular Distance P.D.

Left and right                ± 1mm

Binocular P.D.

Distance and near        ± 2mm

Fitting and Adjustment, Taking a P.D.

Fitting Examiner’s judgment of pantoscopic tilt and symmetrical angling

Monocular Distance

P.D.                                 Binocular P.D.

Left ± 1mm                     Distance ± 2mm

Right ± 1mm                  Near ± 2mm

Practical Dispensing

The transposition, decentration, prism, slaboff and vertex shall be exact.

A score of at least seventy percent (70%) shall be required in order to pass the practical portion of the examination.

(10)(9) No change.

(11)(10) No change.

Specific Authority 456.017(1), (5), 484.005 FS. Law Implemented 456.017(1), (5) FS. History–New 12-6-79, Amended 8-10-80, 3-11-81, 10-29-81, 6-30-82, 8-11-82, 2-2-83, 8-29-85, Formerly 21P-9.01, Amended 9-17-87, 3-30-89, 2-18-93, Formerly 21P-9.001, Amended 5-2-94, Formerly 61G13-9.001, Amended 5-4-97, Formerly 59U-9.001, Amended 4-20-98, 9-12-99, 1-7-03, 8-28-05,________.


NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Board of Opticianry
NAME OF SUPERVISOR OR PERSON WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Board of Opticianry
DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: August 14, 2006
DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: November 9, 2006