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Continuing Education Requirements

This page explains the continuing education requirements that licensed optometric physicians must meet to renew an active Oregon license.

Annual CE Hour Requirements

  • At least 18 hours of clinical optometric continuing education are required for each renewal period.
  • CE hours must be reported annually.
  • Excess hours may be carried forward if no more than two years old.

Required CE Content Categories

TMOD and Observation Credit

  • At least 9 hours must be in Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD).
  • No more than 5 hours of observation credit may be applied per year.
  • There is no limit or restriction on the number of virtual or online CE courses used to meet the 18-hour requirement, except for AMA PRA Category 1 credit.

ACCME / AMA PRA Category 1 Courses

  • Up to 5 hours of qualifying in-person ACCME AMA PRA Category 1 courses may be accepted as TMOD credit.

Special CE Requirements

Cultural Competency

  • One hour of cultural competency education is required every other renewal and at the first renewal after licensure.

Pain Management Education

  • A one-time pain management course is required for the first renewal after January 1, 2020.
  • Beginning January 1, 2022, one hour of pain management education is required every other renewal.

Credit That Does Not Count for CE

  • CPR courses do not count toward CE hours.
  • COPE PM and EJ categories are generally not accepted unless specifically approved.

How to Report and Document CE

  • CE hours must be entered in the Licensee Self-Service Portal.
  • CE should be reported in half-hour or full-hour increments.
  • Documentation must be retained in case of audit.

Reference: Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 852, Division 70 outlines the Optometry COE Requirements.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification is a licensing requirement for Oregon optometrists at initial licensure but does not count toward continuing education (CE) hours.

CPR Requirement at Initial Licensure

  • At initial licensure, licensees must complete a skills- and knowledge-based CPR course.
  • This course must meet the requirements established by the Oregon Board of Optometry.

CPR and Continuing Education Credit

  • A CPR course is not considered continuing optometric education.
  • No continuing optometric education (COE) credit is awarded for CPR certification.

Applicable Administrative Rule

CPR certification requirements for AT and ATI certification are governed by Oregon Administrative Rule ​​(OAR) 852-080-0040(2)(e)** – Certification to Use Pharmaceutical Agents ​​. This rule outlines CPR expectations related to advanced therapeutic certification.

Accredited CPR Course Providers

For a list of Board-accepted CPR courses and providers, view the CPR Requirements page, which includes accredited course providers and additional guidance.​

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) is administered by the Oregon Health Authority and establishes requirements for healthcare licensees who prescribe scheduled medications.

Legislative Background

The Oregon Legislature has enacted laws that affect healthcare providers who prescribe controlled or scheduled medications. These laws require prescribers to comply with PDMP registration, usage, and reporting requirements as applicable.

Who Must Comply

  • Optometrists and other healthcare licensees who prescribe scheduled medications must comply with PDMP requirements.
  • PDMP obligations are separate from continuing education requirements but may be monitored as part of overall licensure compliance.

Where to Find PDMP Requirements

Detailed PDMP requirements, including registration, usage, and compliance guidance, are maintained by the Oregon Health Authority.

For current PDMP registration, usage, and compliance requirements, visit the Oregon Health Authority Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) webpage.​

Cultural competency education is required for Oregon optometrists as part of the continuing education requirements for license renewal.

Cultural Competency Hour Requirement

  • All licensees must complete at least 1 hour of cultural competency education every other license year.
  • This requirement applies to all actively licensed optometrists.

Accepted Cultural Competency Courses

Cultural competency courses must be approved by one of the following:

  • Oregon Board of Optometry (OBO-approved courses)
  • Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE-approved courses)
  • Oregon Health Authority (OHA-approved cultural competency courses)

How to Enter Cultural Competency Courses in the Licensing System

When entering OHA-approved cultural competency courses in the licensing system:

  • Use OBO course number #001.
  • Enter the number of course hours completed.
  • Enter the course completion date.
  • You may keep the placeholder course name when submitting the entry.

Approved Online Course Options

Pacific University offers several OBO-approved online cultural competency courses.

Visit **Pacific University’s Online Continuing Education Courses** webpage​ to view current offerings.

Continuing education (CE) courses that are not sponsored by Board-approved providers must be reviewed and approved by the Oregon Board of Optometry before credit may be granted.

Courses That Require Board Approval

The following types of continuing education must be submitted to the Board for approval before CE credit can be applied:

  • Courses that are not COPE approved.
  • Courses that are not AMA PRA Category 1 live courses.
  • Continuing optometric education offered by organizations outside of Board-approved sponsors.
  • Courses that are **not AOA approved**.​

Surgical and Clinical Observation

  • Surgical and clinical observation must be approved by the Board prior to receiving CE credit.
  • Observation approval may be granted for a period of up to three (3) years.

How Approval Decisions Are Made

Approval or denial of continuing optometric education is based on the course information submitted to the Board, including relevance to optometric practice, educational objectives, and instructional format.

When to Submit Courses for Approval

Licensees should submit courses for Board approval before completing or reporting the course to ensure that CE credit will be granted.

Law and ethics education is required for optometry licensure and ongoing license renewal in Oregon. Requirements differ for initial licensure and continuing education.

Law and Ethics Requirement at Initial Licensure

  • Every applicant must complete the Oregon Laws and Administrative Rules Examination.
  • The exam is administered through the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO).
  • Applicants must achieve a score of 80 or higher to pass.
  • Once completed, exam scores must be sent to the Oregon Board of Optometry for inclusion with the license application.

Law and Ethics Continuing Education for License Renewal

  • Licensees must complete required law and ethics continuing education as part of license renewal.
  • Approved courses are listed on the Laws, Rules, and Ethics Online Courses webpage.
  • Courses designated as **COPE category 'EJ'** are not automatically approved for this required hour and must meet Board approval criteria.

Duplicate Course Content Restrictions

Each required hour of continuing education must consist of different course content.

  • If a licensee submits courses or lectures that are essentially identical within the same license renewal period, CE credit will be granted for only one of those submissions.

Pain management education is required for Oregon optometrists as part of continuing education and license renewal requirements. Requirements include both one-time and recurring education.

One-Time Pain Management Requirement

  • For the first license renewal on or after January 1, 2020, licensees must complete a one-time pain management course offered by the Oregon Pain Management Commission.

Ongoing Pain Management Requirement

  • As of January 1, 2022, all licensees must complete at least 1 hour of pain management education every other license renewal.
  • The Board accepts courses offered by the Oregon Pain Management Commission or other Board-approved pain management courses.

COPE Pain Management Courses

  • After completing the initial pain management requirement, licensees may complete COPE-approved pain management courses.
  • COPE pain courses must not be in the EJ or PM categories.
  • Eligible COPE pain courses must be completed on or after January 10, 2022.

Approved Course Examples

Examples of approved pain management courses include:

Pacific University (COPE-approved)​

  • Treatment and Management of Ocular Pain: NSAIDs and Opioids
  • Prescription Drug Diversion Clinical Management and Protection (OBO Course #1031 – pain management credit)

Oregon Pain Management Commission​

  • Changing the Conversation About Pain (OBO Course #820 – not AMA)
  • Transforming Pain Management: A Journey to Better Care (OBO Course #400) – free course offered by the Oregon Pain Management Commission

DEA Pain Management Training Program​​

  • The NEJM Group 10-hour pain management training program is currently the only DEA pain management program approved by the Oregon Board of Optometry.
  • Report this training as:
    • OBO Course #1233 (1 hour pain management credit)
    • OBO Course #1271 (9 hours TMOD credit)

Reporting Pain Management Courses

When reporting pain management courses in the licensing system, ensure that the correct OBO course number, course hours, and completion date are entered.


The following facilities are approved by the Oregon Board of Optometry for clinical and/or surgical observation continuing education credit. Approval is time-limited and subject to expiration.

How to Use This List

  • Confirm the center’s approval has not expired before attending.
  • Use the associated OBO Course Number when reporting observation hours.
  • Approval applies only to the observation type listed (clinical, surgical, or both).

Approved Observation Centers (Alphabetical by Provider)

Approved clinical and surgical observation centers
Center / Provider NameOBO Course Number
and Expiration Date
​Cataract & Laser Institute of Southern OregonOBO Course #926
— Expires 3/23/2024
Hollingshead Eye Center, P.C.OBO Course #997
— Expires 9/23/2023
Lane Surgery CenterOBO Course #1098
— Expires 8/25/2025
LasikPlusOBO Course #1000
— Expires 9/14/2024
McKenzie Surgical Center (Judith Sabah, MD)OBO Course #1133
— Expires 1/20/2025
Medical Eye CenterOBO Course #957
— Expires 3/29/2024
Medical Eye CenterOBO Course #1422
— Expires 9/15/2028
NVision Eye CentersOBO Course #1187
— Expires 9/15/2026
NW Eye Laser and Surgery InstituteOBO Course #1207
— Expires 5/6/2027
NW PermanenteOBO Course #1255
— Expires 7/17/2027
OnSight Eye Center (Cataract Surgery Observation)OBO Course #1410
— Expires 7/15/2028
Oregon iLasik & RefractiveOBO Course #1196
— Expires 10/12/2026
Oregon Retina, LLP (Dr. Edwards – Clinical Observation)Expires 11/11/2023
Pacific Cataract and Laser InstituteOBO Course #927
— Expires 3/11/2024
— Clinical & Surgical
Pacific Cataract and Laser InstituteOBO Course #1420
— Expires 11/1/2027
— Clinical & Surgical
Pacific Clearvision InstituteOBO Course #1127
— Expires 12/7/2025
TLC Laser Eye CentersOBO Course #1001
— Expires 9/14/2024


Notes on Duplicate Providers

Some providers appear more than once due to separate approval periods or course numbers. Licensees should select the entry that corresponds to the approval period in effect at the time of observation.

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For more information:

General Inquiries
Optometry.board@obo.oregon.gov

Fax 503-914-5142

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Monday–Thursday, and by Appointment

Staff Available

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Monday–Friday, by Phone & Email

Gabby Baune, Admin. Coordinator
971-701-1603

Shelley Hanson, Executive Director
971-701-1194