Frequently Asked Questions: About Quality Assurance
When are my credits due?
Your credits are due every three (3) years. Each three year period is called a cycle. Please click here for a chart outlining the cycles in further detail.
How many credits do I have to submit?
Each Optician is required to submit a minimum of thirty (30) Continuing Education Credits at the completion of their individual Quality Assurance cycle. The required breakdown of these credits is listed here.
How many credits do I get for working?
Form 2 of the QA claims package outlines the amount of credits an optician may receive for their practice experience (PE credits). An optician may claim 1 credit for every 600 hours worked.
How many credits do I get for medical missionary work?
Form 3 of the QA claims package outlines the amount of credits an optician may receive for their medical missionary work. An optician may claim 1 PA credit for every week worked. Any claim must be supported by a letter from the missionary organization.
I've lost my credit slip, can the College give me another one?
Please contact the sponsor of the event, course, or workshop you attended for duplicate copies of credit slips.
Can the College tell me how many credits I have in my current cycle?
No. The College does not keep track of individual optician's credits. It is the responsibility of each optician to keep a record of how many credits they have acquired and how many more they need to complete their Quality Assurance requirement. If you have lost your credit slips, please contact the provider of the seminar/course for another copy.
Ontario Opticians Association: (416) 226-7245 or 1-888-690-8889
Academy of Ophthalmic Education: (905) 731-6022 or 1-866-417-0004
How do I send my credits to the College?
In October, the College of Opticians sends out a Quality Assurance (QA) Claims Package to all opticians whose credits are due by December 31st of the current year. Once you receive a package, please fill it out and send it back to the College, making sure that you have included your credit slips as proof of completion. You may also drop off your claims package in person if you wish. The College does not accept faxed credit slips.
One of my colleagues received a QA Claims Package in the mail but I haven't. Why?
QA cycles are staggered, meaning that all opticians are not required to submit packages at the same time. Your individual cycle depends on the year in which you were first registered as an optician. Please see this chart for a more detailed breakdown of QA cycles.
I can't remember the year that I was first registered as an Optician. Can you tell me?
Please call the manager of Quality Assurance at 416-368-3616 x 209, who will be happy to provide you with this information. Alternatively, you can check your optician annual renewal form.
I didn’t receive a QA claims package in the mail, how do I get one?
Please contact the manager of Quality Assurance to confirm that you are required to submit a package. If your cycle is ending, the College will mail you another claims package.
I need an extension, how do I get one?
All requests for an extension must be submitted, in writing, to:
The Registrar
902-85 Richmond St. W.
Toronto, ON. M5H 2C9
Please include an explanation for the request.
I didn’t renew my license, do I still need to submit a package?
If your license has been suspended (you have not renewed your license), you are not required to submit a QA claims package. However, if you are intending on reinstating your license at a later date, you will owe 30 credits for each cycle you have missed.
I want to reinstate my license. How many credits do I owe?
You will need to submit thirty (30) credits for every cycle that you have missed while your license was suspended. If your license has been suspended for a period longer than three (3) years, your application will go to the Registration committee for evaluation. The committee may instruct you to follow alternative QA requirements. Please read the Registration Policy and view the Reinstatement Process flowchart for more information.
I took a course that I believe is worth a credit value. How can I get this accredited?
Please submit as much information about the event you attended, including proof that you completed/attended it, to the Quality Assurance committee for review. Please include a one (1) page (minimum) synopsis of what you learned at the event and how it will apply and/or help you in your profession. Remember that the more information you can provide, the greater the ability of the committee to assess it for a credit value.
Please review the College's Quality Assurance Accreditation Policy, located in the Resource Room, before you submit your information to the Committee.
I am a newly licensed optician. Do any seminars I take in the year I’m licensed count toward my credit requirement?
Yes. Even though, as a newly licensed optician, your cycle does not begin until the year following your initial registration, any credits you accumulate in the year you are first licensed can be submitted.
For example: if you were first registered as an optician in 2005, your cycle does not begin until January 1, 2006. Your cycle will end December 31, 2008. Any credits you acquire in 2005 (after you become a licensed optician) will count towards your QA requirement.
I have more than 30 credits. Can I rollover credits to my next cycle?
Credits must be acquired within your cycle in order for them to fulfill your QA requirements. Credits acquired over and above the required thirty (30) cannot be used in subsequent cycles.
I just got my license. When does my cycle start?
The first cycle for newly registered opticians begins on January 1st of the year following their initial registration.
Do I get credits for being peer assessed?
Yes. Opticians who undergo peer assessments can claim 2 PA credits.
I have more credits than I can write down on page 1 of the claims booklet. What do I do?
If you run out of room to record your credits, please write them down on a separate piece of paper (including the
activity ID number, credit type and value).
Does the College print a booklet containing activity ID numbers?
No, the College no longer prints this booklet. If you are missing an activity ID number please contact
the sponsor of the event you attended for that information.
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