Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Exam Review Manual

This review manual contains over 650 exam-style questions designed to help students prepare to take the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Exam. The volume opens with a discussion of study and test taking strategies. Explanatory answers to all of the questions are found in the back of the volume. A practicing Ophthalmic Medical Technologist, Ledford is the author of several books in the field of eye care. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Debra L. Brewer

This is an excellent review and study guide for ophthalmic medical personnel preparing for JCAHO's Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) exam. The purpose of this book is to take the ophthalmic medical assistant step by step in preparation for the COA exam. It includes topics in many areas, such as proper reading skills and specific study strategies for organizing study time. Closer to testing day, the book helps the student manage stress levels, last minute review, and tips for the test day to minimize anxiety. This book is specifically targeted toward anyone in the eye care professions interested in obtaining a COA designation. This book contains almost 700 multiple choice questions. Answers and explanations are also included. Many interesting illustrations and photographs of equipment, anatomy, and procedures are included throughout the book. This is a valuable resource for anyone preparing for the COA examination. It is a well-written, easy-to-read book with a gold mine of information.

When Janice K. Ledford (she prefers to be called Jan) began her career in ophthalmic assisting in 1982, she had very little idea of what to expect. But she wanted something she could stick with.

Her college days had been marked by excellent grades but frequent changes of her major. After 5 years of “higher learning” she graduated from Columbus College in Columbus, Georgia with an A.S. in General Studies (biology emphasis, 1978) and an A.S. in Dental Hygiene (1980). After a 2-year break to stay at home with her first child, she decided to enter the work force. But dental jobs were not forthcoming. She answered an ad for an ophthalmic assistant, after looking up “ophthalmic” in the dictionary.

She still recalls the excitement she felt when she learned there were certification levels. Here were goals to achieve! It didn’t matter that she had to study on her own. With the encouragement of her employer and family, she became a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant in 1983. The next year she took the exam for Certified Ophthalmic Technician, and passed. One child, one move, and 4 years later she earned her certification as an Ophthalmic Medical Technologist.

Jan has been busy writing in the field of eye care since 1985. Eventually she formed her own company, EyeWrite Productions, and now concentrates more on the writing aspect of her career. She is the author of three ophthalmic assisting review books and the coauthor of a lay-oriented eye care book (The Crystal Clear Guide to Sight for Life, Starburst Publishers, 1996). Her work has been published in Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology World News, Annals of Ophthalmology and Glaucoma, Contact Lens Spectrum, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Phaco & Foldables, Ophthalmic Surgery, and The Journal of Ophthalmic Nursing and Technology, among others.

She currently works several days a month at a satellite eye clinic with Dr. Charles Kirby of Western North Carolina Eye Care Associates, and has no plans to retire. At this point it seems safe to say that she's stuck with it!

Jan has expanded her writing to include nonfiction of a non-ophthalmic sort, plus fiction. Her first novel was published in 1998 (Hannah, available from Guideposts Books). For her next novel, she drew on her years of experience in researching and writing medical material. After three years of study and rewrites, The Cloning was published in 2001 (check it out at www.millenniatech.info).