Criteria for Eligibility

 

CATEGORY 1 (GRADUATES OF LOW VISION PROGRAMS)

Eligibility to sit for the certifying examination:

1. Educational Requirements

 

Path A:

Proof of a minimum of a Bachelor's degree or diploma (or equivalent, as verified by an independent credentialing body) from an accredited university or college with an emphasis in low vision therapy.

This degree should be granted from a university or college with a program of study in low vision that meets the low vision therapy core domain areas.

Supporting documentation required: Official transcripts documenting degree.

 

Path B 

Proof of a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy with proof of a Certificate in Low Vision granted from a university or college with an Occupational Therapy program of study in low vision that meets the low vision therapy core domain areas. 

Supporting documentation required: Official transcripts documenting degree and certificate program.

 An applicant applying in Category 1 either Path A or B may be declared Eligible to take the exam prior to completing their internship.  Applicant should check the “student” category on their online application form.

 

2. Internship Requirements for both Path A and Path B

In conjunction with the educational training, successful completion of 350 hours of "discipline specific, supervised practice that includes, but is not limited to, direct service hours, and related phone calls, meetings, observations, report writing, etc." The internship must be in collaboration with an OD or MD practicing in low vision and be supervised by a CLVT. The CLVT supervisor may be offsite.

Any applicant having difficulty in locating a CLVT offsite supervisor should email kzeider@acvrep.org for assistance.

Supporting documentation required:

Clinical Competency Evaluation Form completed and signed by the CLVT practice supervisor (see Appendix A).

Please note: Applicants completing multiple internships in order to meet the minimum hour or competency requirements, must submit a Clinical Competency Evaluation Form for each internship completed and signed by each CLVT supervisor. Each form must state the number of hours completed in that internship.

If the CLVT practice supervisor is offsite, an Off-Site Supervisor Contract must also be   completed, signed by the practice supervisor and applicant, and approved by the ACVREP office prior to the practice taking place (see Appendix B).

 

CATEGORY 2  

Eligibility to sit for the certifying examination:

1. Proof of a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or diploma (or equivalent, as verified by an independent credentialing body) from an accredited university or college in any field.

2. Additionally, the CLVT supervisor must verify that the applicant demonstrates basic competency in all core domain areas.

3. Have completed 350 hours of “discipline specific, supervised internship that includes, but is not limited to, direct service hours, and related phone calls, meetings, observations, report writing, etc.” The practice must be supervised by a CLVT and be in collaboration with an OD/MD practicing in low vision.  The CLVT supervisor may be offsite.    

Supporting documentation required: 

1. Official transcripts documenting the degree.
2. Clinical Competency Evaluation Form completed and signed by the CLVT internship supervisor (see Appendix A)

Please note: Applicants completing multiple internships in order to meet the minimum hour or competency requirements, must submit a Clinical Competency Evaluation Form for each internship completed and signed by each CLVT supervisor.  Each form must state the number of ours completed in that internship.

If the CLVT practice supervisor is offsite, an Off-Site Supervisor Contract must also be completed, signed by the internship supervisor and applicant, and approved by the ACVREP office prior to the practice taking place (see Appendix B).

       3. Core Domain Area Checklist verifying basic competency in all core domain areas must be         completed by the CLVT supervisor and submitted with your eligibility application (see Appendix C).  

 

Eligibility for Certification for both Category 1 and 2:

1. Pass the ACVREP Low Vision Therapy Certification Examination demonstrating knowledge of low vision principles and their applications.
2. Certification is issued upon completion of all requirements and receipt by ACVREP of all documentation required