# Professional and Educational Organizations > Professional and Educational Organizations Discussion Forum >  abo test questions

## katrie

hi, i am registered to take my abo exam on may 15th.  i am very nervous. most people i know do not pass their first time. i have worked in the optical field for 
about 4 years know. i already have my paraoptometric certification. i love this field. everyone has me terrified to take the abo. i have purchased a few books for studying. abo/ncle test review and spectacle dispensing test review (purch-ased from the abo website.) i fear that i am unprepared. i am worried about alot of the formulas and ansi standards. if anyone could relate to me some high points that i should focus on, i will greatly appreciate it.  also, i have taken one practice test, but i would like to find some different forms. please someone help. 
thanks.:)

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## jewel

I second Katrie

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## ziggy

There is several versions of the test so giving high points would be pointless. For example, I had to take my test again two years ago and a girl in the office took it at the same time. I was in Lexington, she went to Columbus. My test had a lot of admin and ajustment questions and hers delt with a lot of lab and eye health questions. The best advice I could give you is to get Mike Disanto's ABO prep stuff. He just posted in market place a few days ago. I have helped many study and pass the ABO and I ALWAYS use his stuff. It covers about 99% of what you need to pass. Good Luck. I'm going for my Advance test at the same time

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## HarryChiling

I remember alot of questions involving prisms and adjustments.  Keep in mind I took it about 3 years ago now.

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## Darryl Meister

> hi, i am registered to take my abo exam on may 15th. i am very nervous. most people i know do not pass their first time. i have worked in the optical field for about 4 years know.


If you purchase yourself a decent study guide, and truly take the time to review and learn the materials, you should have no trouble passing the ABO Exam. It is not a difficult test, but it does require you to _know the basics_ of dispensing. There are very few formulas, and very little ocular anatomy. I would recommend learning _at least_ the following topics:
Basic prescription analysis - including the major Rx components, how they are written, and possible errorsMajor vision conditions - including the basic refractive errors, anisometropia, aniseikonia, presybopia, aphakia, binocular vision anomalies, and major pathological conditions (diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration)Gross anatomy of the eye - just the basics, including the major functions of the cornea, crystalline lens, and retinaManaging vertical imbalance - including the definition of vertical imbalance, options to relieve it, and understanding slab-off prismPrism splittingFlat transposition - converting from plus to minus cylinder form and backToric transposition - calculating back curves given the front curve and prescription (Prescription = Front curve + Back curve)Physical and optical characteristics of _Plus_ lenses - magnify, produce "against the motion," thicker at the center, produce a real focus, used for hyperopes or presbyopes, etc.Physical and optical characteristics of _Minus_ lenses - minify, produce "with the motion," thinner at the center, produce a virtual focus, used for myopes, etc.Physical and optical characteristics of _Cylinder_ lenses - produce "scissors motion," vary in thickness, vary in power from zero in Axis meridian to maximum 90 degrees away, used for astigmats, etc.Physical and optical characteristics of _Prisms_ - thicker at the base, displace images toward the apex, used to relieve muscle imbalance, etc.ANSI tolerances - including Sphere Power, Cylinder Power, Cylinder Axis, Add power, Vertical Prism imbalance, and Horizontal Prism imbalance tolerancesUse of the PD ruler - including measurement of Distance PD, Near PD, and segment heights (for bifocal, trifocal, and progressive lenses)Use of Corneal Reflex Pupillometer to measure PDUse of distometer to measure vertex distanceEffects of vertex distance on lens power - Plus lenses increase power with greater vertex distance and Minus lenses reduce powerCommon adjustment tools - including the major pliers, files, and so onUse of tools to perform basic adjustments to correct misalignment, maintain correct "fitting triangle," and change panto/retro tiltBasic frame types - including plastic (optyl, proprionate, zyl, polyamide, etc.), metal (titanium, aluminum, monel, nickel silver, etc.), rimless (nylon, three-piece, notched, etc.), combination, sport, half-eye, ptosis, and moisture chamberMajor components of a frame - including the eyewire, bridge (saddle, adjustable, keyhole, etc.), endpiece, pad/guard arm (screw, bayonet, push, clamp, etc.), temple (skull, library, riding bow, cable), and earpieceConverting from metric to imperial (inches) temple lengthsBoxing system of frame measurement - including A, B, DBL, and EDBasic lens types - including single vision, bifocal, trifocal, progressive, and occupational lensesBasic high-powered lens types - including aspheric lenticulars, myodiscs, Fresnel press-on opticsBasic lens materials and their properties (index, Abbe, impact resistance, density, etc.) - including Glass, Hard Resin, Polycarbonate, and High-indexBasic lens treatments - including PhotoGray, Transitions, Polarized, Tinted, UV treated, and Antireflection coatedUse of the lens clock (or lens measure) to measure surface powerBasic lensometry - including its use to measure power, prism, and Add power, as well as the major components of popular lensometersBasics of lens thickness - including the effects of prescription, blank size, refractive index, and methods to reduce thickness (minimizing decentration, rolling edges, etc.)Basics of lens design and base curve theory to maintain good peripheral opticsMajor regulations pertaining to lenses - FDA's impact resistance guidelines (including drop ball test specifics), OSHA's Z87.1 guidelines, FTC's prescription release guidelines, and so onCalculation of decentration: (Frame A + Frame B - Wearer PD) / 2Calculation of minimum blank size: 2 * Decentration + Frame EDCalculation of prism: Decentration / 10 * PowerCalculation of focal length: 1 / PowerA big part of the ABO is simply recognizing terms, such as frame components, vision defects, or specialty lens types. Another part is the applications of certain terms. For instance, a "slab-off" lens corrects "vertical imbalance," an "iseikonic" lens corrects "aniseikonia," etcetera. A second part is applying basic problem-solving skills. For instance, if the _left_ side of the wearer's frame is too low, you would angle the left temple down or the right temple up to fix it. A third part is understanding the very basic principles of optics. For instance, you probably won't have to calculate vertex distance compensation, but you _will_ need to know that a weaker Plus lens should be ordered if the fitted vertex distance is larger than the refracted vertex distance, and vice versa. Standards and regulations will be another important part.

Additionally, there are some general test-taking tips to remember. First and foremost, be prepared. Don't wait until the day before the test to pick up your study materials. Learn the materials until you are confident that you understand the principles. When taking the actual test, first read _each question_ carefully, and then read _each answer_ carefully before picking one. If you don't know the answer, note your spot and move on to the next question. You definitely don't want to get stuck on a single question, and sometimes a future question may even provide the answer for you.

Once you have gone through the test, you may go back through your unanswered questions, eliminating possibilities and finally guessing if you need to from the remaining possibilities (be sure to mark _something_ though). Common sense goes a long way on the ABO exam. Also, if a question seems subjective or ambiguous or you don't agree with any of the answers, tell them what you think they want to hear. And be careful when second-guessing yourself. Finally, get enough sleep, eat a good breakfast, bring enough pencils, keep your test anxiety low, and so on.

Anyway, good luck!

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## Visualneeds

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Are you getting ready to sit for *ABO exam*? Are you prepared? If not then you still have time to get your hands on 250 of the best study questions on the market. If you can answer and understand *70-100%* of the questions then you *WILL* be ABO certified. After-all when you get your certificate in the mail it doesn't say what your grade was, weather it was a 70 or 100. ORDER NOW!
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## Glock

Are the ABO exams open to anyone?  Do you have to be a US resident?  I would like to write them.  I'm in Canada.  Would they be similar to the Ontario College exams?

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## Darryl Meister

> Would they be similar to the Ontario College exams?


My guess is that the ABO exam would be noticeably easier than the optical exams in Canada, given the differences in educational requirements between the two countries.

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## Glock

Darryl, what about the ABOM exams?  Would that be equivalent to the Ontario exams?

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## Darryl Meister

Its hard to say. The ABOM exam used to be pretty difficult, but I understand that it's been "dumbed down" considerably over the past few years -- once the ABO wrapped up into the ABOC-A program.

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## Glock

I see. So are there any prerequisites one must have in order to be eligible to write the ABOM exam, or can anyone just write it?  Also, do you know who I would contact if I wanted to write it?

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## ziggy

TRY www.abo-ncle.org that site will have the info you seek.

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## Glock

thanks ziggy/paul

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## apriljos

Hello Guys ..I studied my butt off and when I went to take the test in Albany my arms went to jello ...I did not pass I failed it by 14 points ..Instrumentaion , laws ,regulations and standards and ophthalmic products ..Im using an old book printed from 2001 ...I don't mind buying what I need to get this done any suggestions ..I hear Tops is a good one..But maybe something more specific towards what I need ...Thank You

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## Debbylariv

Can you tell me where to get his stuff?

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