The Passing of Peter Dera

Peter Dera, 71, of Unionville, CT,  passed away on March 5th after a courageous and committed battle with cancer.

In 1976 he began his service as first a student and then a licensed optician, a vocation that he loved and enjoyed for more than 45 years.

The “vision” that he exemplified both literally through his work and figuratively to all those he came in contact with will never be forgotten. He will be sorely missed.

A military service was held on Saturday, March 20^th, at 11am at the Middletown Veterans Cemetery.

CT Board Recognizes Live, Online
ABO/NCLE Continuing Education Seminars

The Connecticut Board of Examiners for Opticians (BOE) recently made dramatic changes in the administration of its practical exam and its acceptance of online continuing education credits for ABO and NCLE certification.

First, the board “agreed to temporarily accept the ABO and NCLE virtual practical exams only during the current state of emergency in the state.”Candidates eligible for licensure can contact the DPH about procedures for acquiring a license. To sit for the Connecticut licensure exam, a candidate still must complete a two-year Associates Degree from an accredited opticianry program or log in 8000 hours within a four-year supervised apprenticeship program. The candidate also must successfully complete the ABO and NCLE basic certification exams.

Once the emergency orders are lifted, the BOE could reinstate the standard practical exam, meaning individuals must participate in an in-person exam.

The second modification affects continuing education. Under the new modification, individuals can earn credits at live programs conducted on platforms such as Zoom. In other words, live, online seminars meet the state’s requirement for face-to-face instruction. BOE noted that “the sponsoring agency must have a method to periodically monitor course attendance and will only grant a CEC after completion of the full seminar requirements. All courses must be approved by ABO/NCLE."

Pre-recorded sessions are not eligible.

CT Board of Examiners Meetings Agendas and Minutes can be found at <https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Public-Health-Hearing-Office/Board-of-Examiners-for-Opticians/Meeting-Agendas-and-Minutes>.

OpticalCEUs Investigates
Virtual Spring 2021 Seminar

“COVID-19 has changed the way opticians have done business for the past year,” said Linda Conlin, president and founder of OpticalCEUs, the leading provider of continuing education credits in New England for 20 years. “It has changed the way we’ve learned.”

Praising CT Board of Examiners recent modification, she notes, “The pandemic has forced our society to reconsider the very nature of the classroom. We have done it with our students, who have learned in hybrid and virtual classrooms for more than nine months. While there have been hurdles, the virtual classroom has given students a chance to learn during these unusual times. Now opticians have the same chance.”

Linda Conlin, who has worked as an optician for four decades, is researching the potential of an online, real-time ABO/NCLE continuing education program for “Spring” 2021. She is consulting with education and online communcations specialists. There are many requirements that a provider must demonstrate with the ABO and NCLE in order for the seminars to be certified. “We are confident we can make this happen. The new platform will differ from those of the past, but it will provide new opportunities for the betterment of opticians and, most importantly, our patients.”

CT Health Department Warns
of “Phishing.” Watch Out!

The Connecticut Department of Public recently sent out the following email regarding a “phishing” scam directed at individuals with licenses issued by the department.

The Department of Public Health has been notified that there is a “phishing” email making its way through Connecticut, targeting license holders with the State of Connecticut. The email appears to be from the state (though it is not), and asks credential holders to follow a link to a web page that looks like the state’s eLicense system. There they are asked to validate their license by entering personal information, such as name, address, social security number and date of birth.
 
To protect your personal information, please do not provide any information without ensuring that you are at the legitimate site, which is  https://elicense.ct.gov and requires a login to update personal information.
 
If you received the referenced email and believe your information may have been compromised, please visit the FTC’s web site with advice on preventing and dealing with identity theft:  https://identitytheft.gov/

Condolences to
a Fellow Optician

Tragedy befell long-time Connecticut optician Matthew Marci. The Monday after Mother’s Day, his mother and sister were killed in their Windsor home. It has been called a murder. The Hartford Courant reported: “[Matthew Marci] said the money raised through a GoFundMe fundraiser will pay the women’s ‘final expenses,’ which ‘includes having their house professionally cleaned from this horrific attack.’”

He estimates that the cleaning bill will run about $20,000. He set up the page on May 13, and by May 20 or so, friends, neighbors, and colleagues contributed enough to cover the cleaning and “final” expenses.

Our condolences go out to Matt and the extended Marci family.

Rhode Island Provides
COVID-19 Prevention Checklist

Rhode Island has prepared a checklist for businesses opening up in the next few days. It offers great tips and a poster to display for customers.

ABO and NCLE Instituted At-Home Exams
for Certification Candidates

In these times of Covid-19 and social distancing, ABO and NCLE have temporarily made the Remote Proctored Examinations (RPE) available for specific exams. Certification candidates now can take certain exams in-person or at-home. RPE exams (the at-home versions) include ABO Basic, NCLE Basic, ABO Advanced, and NCLE Advanced. The associations also are pilot-testing RPE versions of the ABO Practical and NCLE Practical exams. Should the results of the pilot programs come out as expected, ABO and NCLE will make these exams available under the RPE program. 

The associations also expanded the May testing window for both the in-person and at-home examinations through July 31, 2020, with no late fees incurred for any of the May examinations! 

Before You Register for the At-Home Exam
Candidates must contact their state licensing authority to find out if it will accept the results from the at-home exam. Currently, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington have met and approved the use of this Remote Proctored Examination.Do not register for the at-home exam until the state’s licensing authority has approved this exam. 

Massachusetts Issues New
Temporary Licensing Procedures

Massachusetts is extending the registration of professional licenses “until 90 days following the termination of the [current] state of emergency.” The ruling applies to licensed opticians. For more detailed information about the extension, go to https://www.mass.gov/doc/executive-order-on-extension-of-business-license-expiration/download#page=2&zoom=auto,-99,685 .

CT Postpones Licensing
Exam for Opticians

The Department of Public Health has postponed administration of the Optician Practical exams tentatively scheduled during the weeks of June 16 – 25.

The DPH will wait to see how the situation with the COVID-19 evolves, before any future date might be determined.

OpticalCEUs Postpones Seminar ‘Til Fall

Out of concern for the health and safety of attendees and in conformity to CDC recommendations regarding group meetings during the COVID-19 outbreak, the May 17 OpticalCEUs Continuing Education Seminar at Foxwoods will be postponed until the fall. 

Online credits: If you need credits for license renewal prior to September, the following states accept online ABO/NCLE approved credits:  Massachusetts, New Hampshire (3 credits), Rhode Island, Vermont (2 credits), Connecticut is considering a waiver of the continuing education requirement, but it is not official. 

List of State Licensing Boards: Contact your state licensing board for more information: 

Massachusetts https://www.mass.gov/orgs/division-of-professional-licensure,
New Hampshire https://www.oplc.nh.gov/,
Rhode Island https://www.ri.gov/Licensing/,
Vermont https://sos.vermont.gov/opr/,
Connecticut (new URL address) https://portal.ct.gov/DCP/License-Services-Division/License-Division/To-Renew-Online

I appreciate your support of OpticalCEUs seminars and look forward to seeing you in the fall. Should my contacts in the Connecticut health department get me more information, I will post it here. Remember, though, these individuals are extremely busy dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, so it may take time for them to get back to me.

Be safe, wash your hands, and stay well,
Linda

On its 20^th Anniversary OpticalCEUs
Draws One of Its Largest Seminars

More than 12 dozen opticians from the New England area celebrated OpticalCEUs 20^th anniversary in the Grand Pequot Ballroom, Foxwoods Resort and Casino on Sunday, October 27. There were awards recognizing those opticians who have attended the seminars since they began in 1999. There were cookies, cake, and a wonderful buffet. That’s not to mention the seven ABO/NCLE accredited courses that helped them learn how light, the eye and brain work together to enable us to see, about the next Generation of Transitions lenses, how refraction affects our work as opticians. and about three microbes that can invade the eye. Watch the first of the two-part video at this YouTube site.

Our Lecturers
Accredited lecturers Linda Conlin, Deborah Kotob, Joe Forte, and Herb Fletcher will present seven courses enabling you to earn three ABO and four NCLE credits.

• In 1999, Linda, Managing Editor for 20/20 Magazine’s Pro to Pro, launched OpticalCEUs as an educational resource for opticians. She is ABO and NCLE certified, licensed in CT, MA and RI, and was an adjunct instructor for the Goodwin College Vision Care Technology Program. 

• Deborah, the Director of Education for 20/20 Magazine, creates and presents ABO, NCLE and JCAHPO seminars related to optics and best practices. A Massachusetts-licensed optician, she was the Education Facilitator for Vision-Ease, has owned two optical businesses and was a sales representative for MODO and Luxottica.  Deborah has achieved ABOM and NCLE certifications.

• Joe, the director of contact lens services for Greenwich Ophthalmology Associates, lectured at CUNY Tech, Vision Expo and Optifair. He received his Master in Contact Lens Technology (NCLEM), is certified as an Advanced Level speaker, and was program director of the Interboro Institute College of Opticianry. Joe has been a Fellow of the CLSA since 1992.

• Herb is a Transitions Brand Ambassador for Younger Optics.  A Connecticut licensed optician with 30 years of experience including management, he is ABO and NCLE certified, and has presented continuing education courses for ABO and state associations and Optician and Optometry colleges around the country.

OpticalCEUs Celebrates Its 20^th
Anniversary with a 7-Credit Program

On April 7, 2019, Joe Forte, Deborah Kotab, and Linda Conlin dazzled more than 130 opticians from Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. It has been two decades since Linda Conlin launched Opticalceus’ first program, attended by some 44 opticians.

OpticalCEUs honored those attendees who have been at all 20 programs. They include Gerald Boss (who claims to be the oldest, living, working optician), Calvin Harden, Angela Dunphy, Harry Celentano, Ronald Kellie, Gary Murphy, and Edward Talaniec. Ron Kellie received an award for the most dedicated of attendees. After receiving her honor, Angela took the microphone from Linda: “I would like to thank Linda for alternative, quality education.” All attendees received a specially wrapped chocolate chip cookie with registration as well as cake specially decorated by the chefs of Foxwood Resorts. As always, conference attendees can enjoy a delicious hot buffet lunch compliments of OpticalCEUs.

The Morning Sessions will include Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lenses but Were Afraid to Ask, presented by Joe Forte (1 ABO) 9am-10am; Visual Perception:  From Photon to Neuron, presented by Deborah Kotob (1 ABO pending) 10am-11am NEW!; and Light Adaptation:  Photopic, Mesopic, and Scotopic Vision, presented by Deborah Kotob (1 ABO pending) 11am-Noon NEW!.

Afternoon Sessions will feature Rigid Contact Lenses for All Opticians, presented by Joe Forte (1 NCLE) 1pm-2pm; Nutrition and Vision Update, presented by Linda Conlin (1 NCLE) 2pm-3pm; Reflecting on Refraction, presented by Joe Forte (1 NCLE pending) 3pm-4pm !; and Anatomy and Diseases of the Eye, presented by Joe Forte (1 NCLE pending) 4pm-5pm NEW!