CLSA University offers courses to individuals who are training for a career in the contact lens industry. We have developed a number of courses, ranging from freshman level to advanced, to help you learn what you need to know to gain your certification, advance your knowledge and enhance your career. You can find everything you need at the CLSA University.

NOTE:  Courses must be purchased individually in order to automatically receive an enrollment key by email.  If you prefer to purchase several courses at once, contact CLSA at 703.437.5100 to obtain your enrollment keys.

• Basic Ocular Anatomy CU001
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Comprised of more than 2 million working parts, the eyes are one of the most complex organs of the body next to the brain. As a member of an eye care team, it is important that everyone has a basic understanding of how this fascinating part of the body is put together. This course will take a step- by-step look at a number of elements
  of the eye, how they function and of course, how they help to provide vision.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture   Credit: None
  
• Basic Optics CU002
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Our responsibility in the eye care field is to help patients achieve their best when it comes to their vision. This course will take a look at some of the basics of optics, define some of the common terms used, and help you understand some calculations commonly used to determine a contact lens prescription.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: None   
  
• Contact Lenses 101 CU003
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Millions of people enjoy the great vision and freedom from eyeglasses that contact lenses bring. And they play a large role in many eye care practices across the country. This course is designed to get you acquainted with the fascinating world of contact lenses.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture   Credit: None  
  
• Fundamentals of Instrumentation CU004
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  There is a lot of fancy equipment used to fit and follow contact lenses. What do all of these instruments do and what information do they provide to help us keep the patient’s ocular health and vision at their very best? In this course we’ll provide you with an inside look at some of these unique pieces of equipment.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture   Credit: None
  
• Nomenclature CU005
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  There are a lot of big, fancy words used in an eye care office and sometimes it can feel like you’re not even talking the same language with the eye care professionals. Even though abbreviations and initials aren’t particularly difficult, unless you know what they stand for, it might as well be gibberish. In this course we will provide definitions for some of the most commonly used terms and abbreviations.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture   Credit: None
  
• Patient Instruction CU006
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  It’s an exciting and happy time when a patient comes to pick up new contact lenses. In this module, we’ll work through the vital directions patients need for a problem free contact lens wearing experience.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: None
  
• Telephone CU007
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  There is no denying that an annual exam is an important part of overall health. But, there is one piece of equipment that is used prior to all of those bright lights and technical gadgets that is equally important to the success of the practice; the telephone.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture   Credit: None
  

• Basic Optical Principles and Proper Lens Selection CU101
  $30 Non-Members; $20 Members
  In order to fully understand the basis for what contact lens professionals do every single day, it is important to understand basic optical principles. This course will provide a primer in this important area and will also discuss the various lens design families available and how to find the right lens for the patient.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture   Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Basics of Atypical Hydrogel Material and Toric Lens Design CUP 118
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  This course comprises three separate articles to provide the basics for understanding a unique hydrogel lens material and toric lens design. The three articles by two distinguished authors include “Why Do We…Compensate for Rotation of Toric Lenses by Changing the Axis of the Lens We Order? Parts One and Two” by Patrick B. Goughary, FCLSA, and “Atypical Hydrogel Introduced Amid the Rise of Silicone Hydrogels” by Brian Chou, OD, FAAO, form the basis for understanding an established fitting determination and a new lens material.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Contact Lens Instruments to Verify and Evaluate GP Contact Lenses CUP120 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Gas permeable lenses are an important part of many contact lens practices. Fitters love the ability to control and verify the parameters of these lenses for their patients. Knowing which instruments are important to have, as well as their function and how to use them is valuable information for the contact lens fitter. This article will outline the key instruments and what you need know about them to use them successfully in your office.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format    Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Contemporary Contact Lens Care Systems CUP112  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Long term success with contact lenses is directly related to patient compliance. Patients who are compliant with personal hygiene and lens disinfection, who follow their practitioner’s instructions for daily or continuous wear, and who replace their lenses at regularly scheduled intervals rarely experience adverse reactions. Educating our patients, though, is dependent on our own ...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format   Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Contemporary GP Lens Care and Care Systems CUP113  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  GP (oxygen permeable) lens care is simple and straightforward. As with soft contact lenses, its goals include cleanliness, comfort, and ocular health. In order to meet these goals, we have surfactant and enzymatic cleaning solutions, wetting solutions, soaking solutions, combination cleaning/soaking or wetting/soaking solutions, all-in-one multipurpose solutions, and wetting/rewetting solutions. Each patient is different in terms of tear chemistry, personal hygiene, allergic history, cosmetic usage, and exposure to occupational or environmental contaminants, and the wide range of care products available enables practitioners to tailor the care regimen to the patient’s needs.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format    Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Eyeglasses 101 CUP101  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Eyeglasses are rarely seen in our office environment and often occupy secluded areas of the home such as nightstands, bathroom sinks, or beneath the cushions on the couch along with the TV schedule, safety pins, 37 cents in change and the misplaced key to my 1968 Chevrolet. Just so we are all on the same page, and for the sake of clarity, let's designate specific "user friendly" names for the technical parts of the eyeglass. It's important not to "talk down" to a patient, but technical language can also be confusing. For instance . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format   Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• The Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act CUP111 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Hearings began on the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act in our Congress on the seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord 2003. The legislation took effect on August 2, 2004. It is generally understood that the intent of this legislation was to make the contact lens industry more consumer friendly, and open access to contact lens prescriptions where restrictions still existed. This is in reaction to the view, by some, that contact lenses were over regulated by practitioners whose goal was primarily to safeguard profits. But, this article isn’t meant to address why the legislation came to be or the misconceptions of some. Rather, it is meant to clear up confusion regarding the application of this legislation as it relates to contact lens technicians and prescribers. We’ll go through the legislation, a section at a time, to help you better understand how it affects you in your own practice.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format   Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• HIV/AIDS, Infectious Disease and the Contact Lens Practitioner CUP122
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Of the total American population, about half has vision care and about 20 percent wear contact lenses. A significant number of your patients could be HIV positive. In more heavily populated areas, the incidence could be even higher...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  
• How to Prevent the Spread of Infection CUP106  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Constant traffic through the contact lens room by patients, physicians and technicians, brings a steady stream of microorganisms. These bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites have the potential to contaminate lenses, instruments, implements, and work surfaces and spread infection among the multitude of people who circulate through the lens room on a daily basis. Infection prevention begins with . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• The Incredible Human Eye CUP104
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The deeper one delves into the structure and function of the human eye, the more astonishing it is to imagine how the eye developed to adapt to our changing environment and meet our needs. I have no wish to incite an argument over the Creation of Humankind versus evolution from a lower species. Whether Homo sapiens was plopped into Paradise or flopped out of the primordial ocean, it seems likely that in the tens of thousands of years since that momentous occasion, the eye would have undergone some evolutionary changes to adjust to different conditions in order to provide us with the best possible vision. Join me for an incredible journey . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format    Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Interview and Pre-fit Considerations CU103  
  $30 Non-Members; $20 Members
  There are a multitude of indications for contact lens use including various visual and physical needs that make patients ideal contact lens candidates. This course will help you identify and understand situations that are favorable for contact lens wear, as well as those that are more demanding. It will also offer guidelines for conducting a constructive patient interview.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Optics of Presbyopia CUP119
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  This course comprises three articles focused on the optics of presbyopia as well as a case history that provides a personal viewpoint on the perplexing situation of presbyopia. The optical questions that perplex contact lens fitters that will be focused on in this article compilation are “Why Do We Add Plus Power to the Distance Rx to Correct Presbyopia?”, “Why Do We Have to ‘Get Used To’ Presbyopic Corrections?” and “Why Do We See Add Powers Range from +1.00D to +2.50D?” 
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Principles of Soft Lens Fitting CU104 
  $30 Non-Members; $20 Members
  Soft lenses have become hugely popular since their introduction in the 1970s. But, there is a lot more to successfully fitting them than simply opening a flat pack. This course will take you from designing the lens to evaluating the fit and everything in between.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture.  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Relevant Ocular Anatomy and Physiology CU102 
  $30 Non-Members; $20 Members
  Every contact lens professional must remember that the contact lens rests upon an organ of the body. In contact lens fitting, the three areas that truly impact how the lens will fit are the structure of the eye and eyelids, the topography of the eye, and the lens and its design. But, as contact lens professionals we can only impact the lens. The eye, eyelids and corneal topography are not variables that can be changed. Whatever problems and challenges the physical aspects of the eye present, have to be addressed through the fit of the lens. This course is designed to help you better understand the physical elements of ocular anatomy and physiology and how they impact successful contact lens fitting.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture.  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Review of Hydrogel Contact Lens Care Products and Patient Instructions CUP121
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The soft contact lens care industry has evolved from systems-based products of the early 1970s. Along with the popularity of disposable soft lenses came the associated popularity of all-in-one multipurpose (MPS) lens care solutions. Today’s products are convenient, effective and safe, and largely without the toxicity and hypersensitivity adverse affects that resulted from early generation chemical disinfectants. However, recent outbreaks of MPS associated microbial keratitis have raised questions regarding the efficacy of these simplified products. This article will review the evolution of lens care, lens care components, product enhancements and finally, recommendations for proper lens care instruction.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format.  
• The Right Service at the Right Time CUP116 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Are you considering adding a new product or service to your practice? As the costs of running a medical practice continue to rise and the squeeze on reimbursement is growing, many practices are looking to increase cash flow and reaching out for other sources to keep them afloat. Adding new products and services may be the solution you are looking for. New technologies have reduced the cost, complexity and even the size of equipment needed to provide sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for your patients...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format.   Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• A Road Map to GP Contact Lenses CUP114
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Choosing the proper vehicle to carry you throughout your GP journey is fundamental to your long-term fitting success. Each GP material carries a long list of characteristics that are specific to only that material. Comparison of oxygen permeability (Dk value), wetting angle (surface ability to hold water), and specific gravity (weight) may guide your material preference and choice. The incorporation of additions such as tint colors and ultraviolet absorbers, give GP lenses added value to many patients.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• SOAP CUP108  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  As contact lens technicians, we wear many hats. Our responsibilities may include history taking; the pre-fit work-up; patient education on lens care, handling, application and removal; soft and/or gas permeable(GP) lens fitting and follow-up care; recognition of lens-induced pathology; referral when necessary to an optometrist or ophthalmologist; and practice management. With each patient, we, or the physician for whom we work, must proceed along a path with steps that lead us from data collection to diagnosis and finally to decision. These steps, collectively, are referred to in our lingo by their acronym, SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan). SOAP supplies a format that enables us to follow patients who are new to the world of contact lenses as well as experienced lens wearers, and to document their progress thoroughly, yet succinctly . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Strategies for Improving Soft Contact Lens Comfort CUP115 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  It is estimated that last year in the United States alone over 3,000,000 soft contact lens wearers discontinued wearing their lenses. That is nearly ten percent of the soft lens wearing population in the US. What makes this staggering number even more astonishing is that about half of these dropouts claim they did so because their lenses were uncomfortable. These are the same patients that years ago, when first fitted with soft lenses, were amazed that they could not even feel the lenses in their eyes...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format.  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• These Are Not Your Father's RGPs CUP105  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Today we have two major components that comprise the contact lens industry; soft contact lenses and rigid contact lenses. Although soft lenses have won the publicity battle in North America, These Are Not Your Father's RGPs takes a look at the history of rigid contact lenses, because they started it all. It is important to note that rigid lenses enjoy a much larger market share almost everywhere else in the world...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Topography...Technology Untapped, History and Evolution of Topographical Measuring Devices CUP 117 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  It was determined centuries ago that the front curvature of the cornea is a primary factor of refractive error. This understanding of corneal curvature is vital in understanding refractive error, and our ability to either alter that curvature with surgery or accommodate the refractive error with correctional devices such as spectacles or contact lenses. Developed in the late 1800’s, the use of Placido Disk technology helped in determining...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Understanding Aspherics CUP110  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  It would be nice if everyone’s corneas were shaped like sections of a ball. That way, all we would need were spherical contact lenses. Unfortunately, most of us have corneas that are shaped like the rounded end of an egg. Thus, for many people, an aspheric contact lens provides a better match to their corneal curvature.
  Format: Technical article in PDF format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Understanding Contact Lens Solutions CU105  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  A major factor to contact lens success is not even an aspect of lens design or materials, but rather is related to the solutions and care products used by the patient. The contact lens solution industry continues to change on a rapid basis and contact lens professionals must have a thorough understanding of how these solutions work, what happens when they don't work, the preservatives used and the instructions necessary to deliver to patients. This course covers these important areas.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• When a Contact Lens Wearer Needs Spectacles CUP103
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Perhaps the largest group of patients in need of supplementary spectacles consists of presbyopes. Current contact lens technology provides us with three options for managing their visual needs: single-vision contact lenses for distance with spectacle over-correction for near and intermediate tasks; bifocal or multifocal contact lenses; and monovision or modified monovision contact lenses. A small percentage of presbyopic contact lens wearers prefer wearing reading glasses. Based on clinical experience . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• When Beauty Becomes the Beast CUP109  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Everyone understands that providing good contact lens care requires more than a keratometer, refraction and a slit lamp exam. For instance, we utilize corneal topography to better understand an irregular corneal surface. We rely on instruments such as the radiuscope and diameter gauge to appreciate a patient's current fit. In general, we could say . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Where Have All the RGP Wearers Gone? CUP107 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Rigid lens fits have been declining for years in the United States and around the world and unfortunately that trend is continuing. It is now estimated that only 7% of new contact lens wearers in the U.S. are fit with rigid lenses. Worldwide the percentage of RGP is higher than in the U.S., but still on the decline. Are soft contact lenses really the best option for the overwhelming majority of contact lens wearers, or are there other factors involved that have caused this dramatic shift in the market over the last 25 years?
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• A World of Color: Tinted Soft Contact Lenses CUP102  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  This is the age of self-expression. Our patients want to look better, to look different and to perform at their best. Cosmetic tinted soft contact lenses are one way to accomplish this. Advertising and affordable prices have given people the desire and the opportunity to wear tinted lenses. From handling tints and cosmetic enhancement, to improving your game with blue blocking "sport" tints, almost anything goes today! Satisfied patients who love their cosmetic tinted soft contact lenses can be a great source of referrals to your practice...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit

• Analysis of Corneal Topography CU203 
  $30 Non-Members; $20 Members
  A thorough evaluation of the cornea and its topography is critical to successful contact lens fitting. This course is designed to take you through a basic discussion of the topography found on the cornea as well as various methods available to measure that topography. This course will also discuss the interpretation of results found using keratometry, photokeratoscopy, and corneal mapping.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Applications for Silicone Hydrogels CUP226   
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The success of silicone hydrogel lenses as a problem solver is consistently being proven in our practice. These lenses have greatly reduced contact lens related corneal hypoxia, and can even reverse lens-induced corneal neovascularization; therefore, wonderful opportunities arise for numerous indications.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Being a Specialist is a Good Thing CUP222   
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Today, a gas permeable (GP) lens manufacturer probably sees more difficult or complex orders than ever before. And, we have not begun to see the end of this phenomenon. These cases include conditions such as keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, corneal grafts, refractive surgery changes and failures, high astigmatism, presbyopia and other abnormal visual or ocular conditions. Experts in these fields who are retiring are leaving a gaping hole in the eye care profession.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• A Brave New World CUP214
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The last half of the twentieth century has been a march through the development of designs, polymers and solution chemistry in the contact lens industry. The latest twenty or so of those years have seen the marriage of computer technology to imaging the cornea with the net results being that we have moved from qualitative data to quantative data while we attempt to measure the entire corneal surface. The addition of computer-assisted manufacturing lathes revolutionized the laboratories and streamlined . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Contact Lens Related Slit Lamp Use CU206 
  $30 Non-Members; $20 Members
  The slit lamp is arguably the most valuable piece of equipment in a contact lens professional's office. It provides information before the contact lenses are fit, it is a diagnostic tool that aids in the determination of lens parameters, and it is critical to follow-up.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Continuous Evolution: Today’s Soft Contact Lenses CUP215  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Today's contact lens professional must be familiar with new products as they become available in order to achieve successful outcomes for their patients. It is important for the patient to have confidence in their contact lens fitter's ability as well as their knowledge of new products. A short historical look will reveal just how much progress we have made over the last few years...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• The Evolution of Presbyopic Contact Lens Design CUP217  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Presbyopic soft lens correction has traveled a long and somtimes bumpy road, filled with much hope and many promises. The past few years have seen many breakthroughs in both lens design and manufacturing technology, but an understanding of where we are now and where we are going is enhanced by a retrospective look at the development of soft bifocal and multifocal lenses . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• The Fine Balance of RGP Lens Parameters CUP205 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The fitting philosophies of rigid contact lens fitters vary widely. Some describe with intricate detail every parameter available: base curve, power, diameter, optical zone, intermediate curve and width, peripheral curve and width, and the blend he or she wants over the junctions. Other fitters will call for a "lab design" or a standard design like a Polycon design and only provide the laboratory with the base curve, power and diameter . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Fitting Toric Contact Lenses: Insights From Practitioners, Educators and Manufacturers CUP229
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  To some contact lens fitters, especially those who are just starting out, the thought of fitting toric contact lenses is a bit intimidating. The following article is a composite of information from experts in the field representing different perspectives. We’ll start with an educator’s point of view and how he presents the concept to his students and progress through pearls of wisdom offered by expert fitters and manufacturers. We’ll also explore a case history to demonstrate the concepts of fitting a toric contact lens...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• From a Grain of Sand CUP225 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  From the second most common element found on earth, the scientific community has developed an amazing, extremely versatile product called silicone. It has massive, far reaching implications and applications in industries worldwide, from computer chips to contact lenses; and it all started with a grain of sand!
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• GP Contact Lens Fitting Post Ocular Trauma CUP232
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Trauma is defined by Webster’s dictionary as a “sudden injury to the body.”  This fact alone, as well as the sheer, unplanned sudden event that alters a patient’s world must be given great respect when we first meet our patient. For the previous months, or in some cases even years, the patient has been in a state of recovery. Depending on the type of trauma, a motor vehicle accident, for example, multiple body systems may have been involved.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• GP Contact Lens Post Surgical Fitting Options for Aphakes CUP 234
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The fitting of the aphakic patient represents one of the most challenging services that an eye care professional can provide. In order to fully understand the indications of contact lenses for the aphakic patient, we need to be aware of the difficulties patients encounter with spectacles having an aphakic correction.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format
  
• The History of Toric Lenses CUP228 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The History of Toric Lenses is an article that takes the reader back to the beginning days of toric lens designs.  The manufacturing process of rigid and soft toric lens designs, fitting analogies, possible complications and lens designs are discussed.  This article provides a clear understanding of how far we have come and where we may be going with toric lens design.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Incorporating Overnight Orthokeratology into the Contact Lens Practice CUP213 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  One of the hottest topics within the contact lens field today is overnight orthokeratology— also termed corneal refractive therapy and corneal reshaping. This process provides a temporary reduction of myopia through the use of lens devices fabricated from high Dk gas permeable lens materials worn on an overnight basis.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Inspection and Modification CU202  
  $30 Non-Members; $20 for Members
  In-office inspection and modification of contact lenses can be a true "mistake-preventer" and problem solver for the professional. Taking the time to perform verification of contact lenses and learning to perform simple modification can eliminate mistakes, prevent errors and increase patient satisfaction. This course will walk you through various methods of inspecting and verifying contact lenses and a few simple procedures for in-office modification.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Irregular Corneas and High Dk Reverse Geometry Lenses CUP231 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Fitting challenges on irregular corneas such as keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, corneal grafts, post surgical corneas, and others will be presented in this article. Examples of reverse geometry specialty GP designs, both in large and small diameters, will be shown and illustrated with the use of high Dk materials being emphasized on compromised and irregular corneas. A case history and final fit success will be a part of these illustrations. The use of topography and fluorescein fitting techniques will also be included.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Just Fit It: Sports, GP Lenses, and Corneal Reshaping CUP221 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  For many years, contact lenses have been a vision correction modality of choice by many professional athletes as they attempt to augment their performance on the field of play. Recreational athletes have also taken the route of contact lenses as a first choice for the vast majority of their involvement in sports. Considering the statistic that there have been more than a million reported injuries in the United States in a single year to people involved in nonprofessional sporting activities provides a perspective of the degree to which our society values physical activity.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Myopia Physiology, Progression, Control and GP Lens Alternatives: Past, Present and Future CUP 233
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The fitting of the aphakic patient represents one of the most challenging services that an eye care professional can provide. In order to fully understand the indications of contact lenses for the aphakic patient, we need to be aware of the difficulties patients encounter with spectacles having an aphakic correction.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format 
  
• NCLE Advanced Test Review Course Module 1: Prefit, Preparation and Evaluation (2 cr. hrs.) CU230
  $40 Non-Members; $30 Members
  This is the first module of a five part series and focuses on prefit, preparation and evaluation. During the course of this review, we’ll cover a number of subjects from anatomy and physiology and methods of corneal measurement, to various pathologies and ocular conditions. Keep in mind that this is a review course, and is designed to touch on a number of areas that may or may not be included in the exam. But this course won’t cover any of them in great detail. If you find an area that you are not totally familiar with, we encourage you to continue your education with other online courses at the CLSA University, through supplemental texts, or with live courses.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• NCLE Advanced Test Review Course Module 2: Determine Lens Type and Design Contact Lens Parameters (3 cr. hrs.) CU232 $60 Non-Members; $40 Members
  This is the second course in a five part series and this module will concentrate on determining lens types and designing contact lens parameters. Throughout this course, we will focus our attention on making the lens material and parameter choice for your patient and then designing the actual lenses. This course will work through a review of more advanced lens designs such as soft toric, aspheric gas permeable, gas permeable toric, bifocals and even special lens designs for the more challenging patients. Keep in mind that this is a review course, and is designed to touch on a number of areas that may or may not be included in the advanced exam. But this course won’t cover any area in great detail. If you find a subject that you are not totally familiar with, we encourage you to continue your education with other online courses at the CLSA University, through supplemental texts, or with live courses.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• NCLE Advanced Test Review Course Module 3: Patient/Customer Instruction and Delivery Procedures (1 credit hour)
  CU235   $30 Non-Members; $20 Members
  This third module in our five part series will help you review areas involving customer/patient instruction and delivery procedures. In the course of this review, we will focus on a variety of subjects including contact lens solutions and materials, slit lamp illuminations, lens verification and modification. It is important to remember that this is a review course, and is designed to touch on a number of areas that may or may not be included in the exam. But because this is a review course, it won’t cover any of them in great detail. If you find an area that you are not totally familiar with, we encourage you to continue your education with other online courses at the CLSA University, through supplemental texts, or with live courses.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• NCLE Advanced Test Review Course Module 4: Follow-up Visits with Patient/Customer (2 credit hours) CU236 
  $40 Non-Members; $30 Members
  This module focuses on follow-up visits with the patient customer. Throughout this course, we’ll review subjects ranging from the multitude of procedures used to conduct a thorough follow-up exam, and the unfortunate complications that a patient may present with during the course of their follow-up. It is important to remember that this is a review course. It is meant to touch on a number of areas that may or may not be included in the exam. But none of the topics will be covered in any great detail during the course. If there is an area that you feel you need more information regarding, we encourage you to continue your education with other online courses at the CLSA University, through supplemental texts, or with live courses.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• NCLE Advanced Test Review Course Module 5: Practice Management (1 credit hour) CU239   
  $30 Non-Members; $20 Members
  This is the fifth module of a five part series and will focus on the management elements of a contact lens practice instead of the technical aspects. These elements, while not the total focus of every contact lens professional’s day in the office, are an increasingly important element and one that deserves attention. We’ll cover a number of subjects during this review, but none of them will be covered in great detail. Keep in mind that this is a review course. If there is an area that you are not totally familiar with, we encourage you to continue your education with other online courses at the CLSA University, through supplemental texts, or with live courses.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• A New Approach to Fitting Soft Contact Lenses CUP211 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Anyone who fits soft contact lenses has encountered the patient with flat readings who, for some reason, required a contact lens with a steep base curve. Or maybe it was a patient with steep corneas who could only wear lenses with flat base curves. Some of us consider these cases to be "exceptions that prove the rule" and cite them as proof there is an art to fitting contacts beyond just going by the numbers. Others may explain it by noting that K readings only measure a relatively small area of the central cornea and don't take into account the variations in asphericity that shape the periphery of different corneas. While there is some truth to both of those rationales, the best explanation is simply that . . .
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format    Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• New Entrants in Overnight Orthokeratology CUP224 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Overnight orthokeratology continues to be a quickly evolving field. Up until now, there have been only a few products available for this treatment in the United States, including Paragon’s CRT® (Corneal Refractive Therapy). But that has recently changed with the FDA approval of Bausch & Lomb Vision Shaping Treatment™ (VST). VST is not a specific lens or design. Instead, it is an umbrella concept that encompasses selected designs and fitting methods. Presently, there are four designs available and it is expected that other designs will also be available very soon.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• A New Millennium for Extended Wear CUP207 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  In 1979, the first soft hydrogels were approved for extended wear in the United States for aphakia. In 1981, cosmetic extended wear soft lenses were approved for an overnight wearing schedule. Patients and practitioners embraced this modality and the mid 1980s showed an increase in the popularty of overnight wear. This was short-lived, however, when in the late 1980s negative publicity by the media concerning rare but serious complications with long term (30 day overnight) extended wear lenses reached the customer. This sparked debate between contact lens practitioners whether to fit extended wear lenses or not...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format   Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Ocular Physiology and GP Contact Lenses CUP218 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Many contact lens practices now have patients who have been wearing contact lenses in excess of 30 or 40 years. Some of these patients have been very successful contact lens wearers because of the practitioner's ability to properly fit the patient; the overall health and ocular health of the patient; as well as the compliance of the patient. Some of them continue to wear PMMA lenses, but most have been converted to GP contact lenses, and in some cases soft contact lenses. Many of these patients are what I will call "contact lens junkies"...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Patient Compliance—A Continuing Challenge CUP210 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The responsibility of patient education lies with the eye care professional. Proper patient education is vital. Written material regarding lens handling and cleaning, as well as wearing schedules, are a must and allow the patient to refer to them as needed. It is well known that patients tend to turn to friends, family or pharmacists when they have questions, however, these sources are limited in expertise regarding contact lenses and their care. Patients must be educated in the need for routine follow-up and affirm that they are in agreement with those requirements...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format   Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Presbyopia and Monovision CU205 
  $30 Non-Members; $20 for Members
  The presbyopic community is the fastest growing group of contact lens wearers in the country today. This course will focus on the presbyopic patient and one method of contact lens correction, monovision.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• A Primer on Contact Lens Polymers CUP216  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The material selection process can be confusing, and the results sometimes disappointing if the fitter is not aware of the nature of the lens material as well as its advantages and drawbacks. What characteristics are important and how does a material achieve those properties? And where does all this plastic stuff come from anyway?
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Principles of Rigid Lens Fitting CU204 
  $30 Non-Members; $20 for Members
  Let's face it. They have been called many things: RGPs, GPs, rigid gas permeable, oxygen permeable and sometimes simply hard. But, one of the very best options for contact lens patients is an oxygen permeable or RGP lens. They have excellent oxygen permeability, most people see better with them, they are uncomplicated to care for, easy to apply and remove, and they are an extremely healthy option for the eye. So why don't we fit more patients with oxygen permeable lenses? Part of the responsibility is certainly ours. We need to ask ourselves, are we really comfortable fitting them? This course is designed to help you with the basics in oxygen permeable lens fitting so you can become more comfortable offering your patients this excellent option.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Prosthetic Tinted Contact Lenses: You Can Do Magic! CUP219 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  People around the world suffer dramatic, permanent eye disfigurements every year. Occupational, sporting or household accidents cause a number of these injuries, while other disfigurements may be caused by disease. The stigma associated with a disfigured eye can have a profound impact on the development of a child or on the work or social life of an adult. Patients with damaged eyes may withdraw from normal social routines or lose self confidence. Prosthetic contact lenses can restore life to normal by...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• RGPs in the Next Decade—What Will Be Their Role? CUP204 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Changes in the contact lens field are occurring at a rapid rate. Extended wear has had a rebirth of interest with the introduction of new hydrogel lens materials. Single use daily disposables are becoming more popular and there is a plethora of soft toric lenses available, especially in the disposable and planned replacement lens arena. Contact lenses are being viewed as a commodity by consumers, with their purchasing patterns significantly changing to alternative distribution channels such as mail order and on-line options. So, what does this mean to the RGP sector of our industry?
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Realities of Presbyopia CUP209 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Presbyopia has been defined as a "progressive age-related loss of accommodative amplitude." The young eye has the ability to change its focal range by a mechanism called accommodation. As the ciliary muscle contracts, the zonular fibers attached to the crystalline lens relax, resulting in a bulging of the crystalline lens. This shape change, or increased curvature, allows one to see near objects more clearly. The aging eye eventually loses this ability to change its focal length. This lost ability is normal, natural and frustrating. And it is a reality that most people will live approximately half of their lives as a presbyope. Many theories have been discussed as to the exact mechanism that causes loss of accommodation...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• The Road to Presbyopic Contact Lens Success CUP208
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Bifocal and multifocal contact lens fitting is an integral part of the mainstream of current-day contact lens practice, but its road to success has been slow and bumpy. The search for a means of correcting presbyopia with contact lenses actually began in 1938, when William Feinbloom, an optometrist, filed patent specifications that showed diagrams of bifocal and trifocal segments in the optical zone of scleral lenses...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Scleral Lenses: Everything Old is New Again CUP223 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The evolution of the contact lens started many years ago and utilized the ideas and research of many great thinkers, eventually evolving into the technology that we recognize today. The scleral lens was the first successful contact lens. A scleral contact lens is made not only to cover the cornea but also the surrounding conjunctiva.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format.  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Signs and Signals of Keratoconus CUP212 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Today's contact lens professional must be familiar with new products as they become available in order to achieve successful outcomes for their patients. It is important for the patient to have confidence in their contact lens fitter's ability as well as their knowledge of new products. A short historical look will reveal just how much progress we have made over the last few years...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Silicone Hydrogels CUP230 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Twenty-fi ve years ago, the word among contact lens fi tters was, “Silicone lenses are the lenses of the future and always will be.” Silicone held a great deal of promise, especially in terms of oxygen transmissibility and the potential for safe overnight wear, but early attempts to fabricate lenses concentrated on silicone elastomer materials (which had the elastic properties of natural rubber), rather than the silicone hydrogels that we are using today...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Soft Lens Practice Growth Through Patient Care CUP206  
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  No one will argue the appeal of disposable regimens to patients or the fitting convenience to the contact lens professional. But, even with consumer popularity, the modality would never have evolved without the improved physiologic considerations that have been realized. Many soft lens related conditions are simply not as common due to today's practice of frequently replacing contact lenses. But, we all need to be aware of complications and learn to address them in the early stages before they advance...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Soft Toric Multifocals CU240
  $30 Non-Members; $20 for Members
  The presbyopic community is among the fastest growing group of contact lens wearers in the world today. Every day more and more of them show up in contact lens practices around the globe, wanting and expecting to wear contact lenses. Manufacturers have stepped up to provide wonderful lens designs to help this population. But, those patients with both presbyopia and astigmatism often had to compromise or wear monovision if they wanted to be fit with soft contact lenses. That is, until now. Welcome to Soft Toric Multifocal Contact Lenses presented by the Contact Lens Society of America... Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Specialty GP Lenses: A Review of Uses, Designs, and Fitting CUP220 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  The need often exists to design a unique gas permeable contact lens for a patient. These special designs can not only help patients achieve their best vision, but the challenge can stretch our own fitting skills and expertise. This article will focus on a number of challenging yet rewarding GP fits.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Toric Soft Lens Fitting CU201
  $30 Non-Members; $20 for Members
  It's not uncommon to hear patients say to a contact lens professional, "I can't wear soft contact lenses because I have astigmatism." The good news is that excellent soft toric lenses have existed for a number of years. The bad news is that patients, and even some contact lens professionals, are unaware of how successfully they can correct astigmatism. Not only do good soft toric lenses exist, good disposable soft toric lenses exist. This course will help you better understand these lenses so you can share the good news with your patients.
  Format: Slide presentation with lecture  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit
• Understanding Soft Lens Multifocals CUP227 
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  So you’ve done all the proper prescreening and setting of realistic expectations, matched the best lens design to your patient’s visual needs, checked the fit and sent her home for a trial spin. Now the real fun in fitting multi-focal contact lenses is about to begin. When multifocal patients return for the first follow-up visit, there are several possible ways they will react to your first question, which should typically be something open-ended like "How did the lenses work for you?" They might say, "They were absolutely perfect. I love them." In this case the rest is simple. You order them a year’s supply and take your choice among the following three options: A) You thank your lucky stars; B) You pat yourself on the back for being such a good contact lens fitter; or C) You make a mental note to yourself that fitting soft multifocals is really pretty easy, as long you work primarily with 41-year olds.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit

• Current Understanding of the Pathophysiology of Dry Eye Disease CUP310
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of dry eye disease has been rapidly expanding in recent years. Dry eye disease, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, aka ocular surface disease (OSD) is now considered a multifactorial disease with an inflammatory component. The definition of dry eye has been expanded to include any chronic symptomatic external ocular disease in which there is increased tear osmolarity and tear film instabililty resulting in ocular surface damage. Environmental influences such as humidity and pollution, immune influences such as allergy and stress, local physical tissue influences such as contact lens wear and/or LASIK surgery, as well as systemic influences such as medications, age, sex and hormone levels can all individually or collectively affect the prevalence and severity of ocular surface disease...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• A Guide to Improve GP Multifocal Fitting Success CUP316
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  It is not uncommon to hear about breakthrough designs in gas permeable contact lens options for our presbyopic patients. The market and manufacturing labs are working hard to keep presbyopes happy and seeing as well as modern technology can allow. As a GP multifocal fitter, it is important to understand how all of the different designs work and, more importantly, what to do when they are not working quite as planned.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Keratoconus and the Great Imposters: Management with GP Lenses CUP318
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Keratoconus is defined as a corneal ectasia of unknown etiology in which the cornea thins and bulges outward. It is progressive, noninflammatory, and noninfectious. Until recently, it was thought to affect about one in 2,000 persons in the general population, but the widespread use of corneal topography is uncovering a much higher percentage of corneal irregularities that resemble keratoconus or other related ectatic conditions. Generally, keratoconus
  begins in the late teens or early 20’s and progresses unpredictably. Although it affects both eyes in 94 percent of patients, there is usually considerable asymmetry between the two corneas, with the condition in one eye far more advanced than in the other. Eventually, 10–20 percent of affected individuals will require a corneal transplant.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Keratoconus—From Start to Finish CUP313
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  What is keratoconus? It is a simple question with many answers and no simple explanation. The word keratoconus is derived from the two Greek words "kerato" meaning cornea, and "conus" meaning cone-shaped. The National Keratoconus Foundation in Los Angeles, California, defines keratoconus as a "conical cornea in which the normally round shape of the cornea is distorted and a cone-like bulge develops, resulting in significant impairment." Although there is no cure, nor does the research community completely understand the causes, significant progress toward both goals is being made...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Orthokeratology: Reshaping Corneas, Redefining Ideas CUP312
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  When the word is broken down into its Greek origins, orthokeratology can be defined as-the science of straight corneas. A more useful definition would describe orthokeratology as a nonsurgical contact lens treatment used to control or temporarily reduce or eliminate myopia and astigmatism.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• A Systematic Approach to Fitting Keratoconus Lenses CUP315
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Keratoconus is a non-inflammatory ectasia of the axial cornea characterized by corneal distortion and irregular astigmatism. It is usually bilateral and is very rarely truly monocular. It is characterized by corneal thinning, distortion, and irregular astigmatism, so one of the first indications of a keratoconic cornea is some steepening and distortion of the topographical map or keratometer mires.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Today’s Corneal Refractive Therapy is Not Yesterday’s Orthokeratology CUP314
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Quantum leaps in technology and science often indicate the need to enhance the definition of a modality altogether and confer a more descriptive and appropriate name. What is emerging is Corneal Refractive Therapy, a safe, predictable way to improve vision using a contact lens-like medical device to reshape the cornea. It is effective, non-invasive, and reversible...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Wavefront and Adaptive Optics CUP311
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Light can be described in several ways depending on how you want to describe it, measure it, and what you want to do with it. The wavelength of light and other related properties are associated with physical optics. Geometric optics deals with ray tracing, the math of light, and its behavior with lenses and mirrors. Lasers and other devices utilizing light in various forms of energy fall into quantum optics (photons. Quantum optics utilize both wave and particle aspects to describe light. By definition, if the human eye is not perfect or emmetropic, then it has a refractive error or an optical aberration. Wavefront technology is a more specific way of detecting, describing, and measuring refractive defects. These defects include, but are not limited to, myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.
• Wavefront Aberrometry CUP 317
  $18 Non-Members; Free for Members
  Since the introduction of corneal lenses by Kevin Touhy in the 1950s, practitioners throughout the world have known about the benefits of corneal lenses for improved visual acuity. The materials have changed from the original polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), through oxygen permeable (GP) plastics, such as cellulose acetate buterate (CAB), silicone acrylate, fluorosilicone acrylate and many other types of polymers. The designs of these GP lenses have run the gamut from spheres to aspheric, single vision to multifocal, through reverse geometry and back to semi-scleral and scleral lenses...
  Format: Technical article in PDF Format  Credit: Successfully answer the quiz questions to receive NCLE credit.

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