Frequently Asked Questions

No, we encourage students to apply early to NACOR to ensure they have a spot secured for the exam(s). You do not have to wait until you have graduated or met all the eligibility requirements of your regulatory college.  

NACOR may be able to arrange reasonable and appropriate testing accommodations for candidates who have documented needs, within the limit of undue hardship. If you believe that there are circumstances that could reasonably be expected to negatively affect your examination result or place you at a disadvantage relative to other candidates with respect to your ability to demonstrate competence you may apply for accommodations.

Candidates may bring their own equipment to the examination. The candidate is responsible for the accuracy of calibration of their own equipment and must present the equipment to the exam moderator at the point of registration at the exam(s) to be authorized by NACOR. Automated equipment is not permitted at the examinations. NACOR assumes no responsibility for a candidate’s equipment.

Note: All candidates are required to bring their own pens, pencils, and a non-programmable calculator and these items must be brought in a clear plastic bag. Study notes, electronics, translators, study aids, etc. will not be allowed into the examination area.

The National Examinations for Canadian Opticians are professional examinations and candidates must refrain from dressing casually at exams. A candidate who fails to dress professionally may be ineligible to sit the exam. Jeans or leisure wear are not considered professional attire. Scrubs are permitted.

The Eyeglass examination consists of five sections: Basic Dispensing and Lens Finishing Theory, Lens Neutralization, Measurement, Verification, and Service.

The Contact Lens examination consists of five sections: Contact Lens Theory, Keratometry, Verification and Lens Design, Insertion and Removal, and Contact Lens Skills Assessment.

NACOR provides candidates with an outline of both the Eyeglass and Contact Lens examinations. Each outline includes a brief overview of each section of the exams and includes time limit and percentage of the exam covered in each section.

The Eyeglass examination takes about 5 hours to complete. 

The Contact Lens exam takes about 4 hours to complete. 

Most exam locations will run the Eyeglass examination on a Saturday in morning and afternoon blocks, and the Contact Lens exam on Sunday morning and afternoon. As needed, the theory sections of both exams may be held on the Friday before to save time and run the practical sections for eyeglasses and contact lenses concurrently on Saturday and Sunday.

Candidates must bring any questions or concerns to the attention of an examiner or NACOR representative as soon as any issues arise. We will do our best to assist candidates whenever possible. Any questions or concerns brought to the attention of NACOR after the examination has concluded cannot be addressed.

The Examiners are there to help you, to answer any questions they can, and to help you understand the tasks need to perform. With this in mind, if you have any questions, please ask an examiner immediately. If, at any time, you need further clarification, or do not feel comfortable speaking to an Examiner about a particular issue, there is a Moderator at each exam sitting. The Moderator is there as a representative of NACOR to ensure the exams run the same way in each location, and to provide support to candidates. If you have any concerns during the examination, no matter how big or small, must discuss those concerns with the Moderator at the examination sitting as this is when help can be provided.

The examination venues are not open to candidates prior to the scheduled exams.  All candidates are provided with time at the beginning of each section of the eyeglass and contact lens exams to become familiar with the equipment before their timer is started.

Exam marks are released within 8 weeks of the examination date. You will receive an email from NACOR announcing that the marks have been posted on the NACOR website. You can find your marks posted by your NACOR Candidate ID which is provided to you at the exam and is also on your receipt.

No, the marks are posted on the NACOR website, and a copy of the marks is forwarded to the provincial regulatory authority you indicated on your application that you will apply for registration with. 

All examinations are marked by hand by NACOR staff. Examinations that are within five (5) percent of a passing grade are reviewed and automatically remarked prior to the marks being delivered to the candidate.

An examination review is available to anyone that was not successful. The purpose of the review is to determine the areas of weakness to help you prepare to retake the exam. Exams are not re-marked during a review. 

You may still pass the exam even if you did not perform well in one section. Regardless of performance in a single section, if the overall pass mark is achieved you will pass. If you do not achieve the overall pass mark in either the eyeglass or contact lens exam, you are required to retake the entire eyeglass or contact lens exam. 

A candidate is entitled to challenge each examination a maximum of three times. After the third and each ensuing unsuccessful attempt, the candidate must comply with an approved upgrade plan as specified by their provincial regulatory authority before any further challenge of the examination will be permitted.

Passing the examination(s) does not mean that you are automatically licensed. After the marks are released, you will need to contact your provincial regulatory authority to proceed with registration as an Optician.