What is "ABCO Sub-Specialty Certification?"

ABCO begins with the premise that, within the community of health care generally, optometry is a specialty. The profession of optometry, and the training and education of an optometrist, is concentrated on the eye and vision, including the ocular manifestations of systemic disease and the relationship between ocular disease, vision, and the body as a whole. Describing optometry as a health care specialty is consistent with the general understanding of what a health care specialty is.

With that in mind, ABCO Sub-Specialty Certification refers to certification that the practitioner has knowledge, training, and expertise in a particular or narrow facet of the broader profession of optometry which exceeds that expected or required of other licensed optometrists.

What Optometric Sub-Specialties Does ABCO Certify?

Currently ABCO is preparing to offer Sub-specialty Certification in Ocular Disease.

In coming months ABCO hopes to add Sub-specialty Certification in other areas of optometic care, including, for instance, Neuro-Rehabilitiative Optometry and Orthokeratology.

The ABCO also intends to respect certifications granted by credible organizations whose certification programs meet or exceed the requirements for ABCO sub-specialty certification. These include, for instance, programs and certifications offered by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development and the American Board of Medical Optometry.