COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation:

Testing candidates: Check our COVID-19 Update Page to look for testing availability and review the health and safety measures required for testing.

Appointment availability is limited due to social distancing precautions and varies by location. Please note that our customer service wait-times are also longer than usual right now. For information on rescheduling, refunds, and more, please check out our FAQs.

    To schedule, reschedule or cancel an exam:

    NBEO Testing

    NBEO Testing

    The National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) offers five examinations through Pearson VUE: the Part I – Applied Basic Science (ABS) exam, the Part II – Patient Assessment and Management (PAM) exam, the Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD) exam, the Advanced Competency in Medical Optometry (ACMO) exam, and the Continued Professional Development in Optometry (CPDO) exam.

    Testing Dates

    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some NBEO examination dates have been extended.

    2020 testing dates:

    • ABS: administered two times in 2020 on July 27 – August 15 and November 2 - 20
    • ACMO: administered one time in 2020 on June 8 - 19
    • CPDO: administered twice in 2020 on March 6 and September 25
    • PAM: administered twice in 2020 on July 13 - 17 and December 1/3
    • TMOD: administered twice in 2020 on July 13-17 and December 3

    Please be advised that NBEO would recommend that you schedule a seat at the best available location. You can continue to review the Pearson VUE website for additional availability options and potentially change your seat if an opening occurs.

    Registration and Scheduling Information

    Candidates wishing to take an NBEO examination must register and pay the examination fee using the NBEO’s online registration process at www.optometry.org. Once registration is processed, the candidate will receive an email from the NBEO with information needed to set up a web account with Pearson VUE for the purpose of selecting a test center location. In order to secure a seat at a convenient location, candidates are urged to schedule through Pearson VUE as early as possible. NBEO examinations are administered at test centers in the USA, Puerto Rico, and Canada only.

    Test Preparation

    Pearson Professional Center Online Tour

    Pearson Professional Centers are designed solely for high-stakes testing. This online tour will help you become more familiar with the testing environment you can expect on the day of your exam.

    NBEO Computer-Based Testing Tutorials

    These tutorials show you how to navigate through a computer-based exam, and give you the opportunity to practice taking a demonstration test. Candidates have the opportunity to view the same tutorial at the Pearson VUE test center just prior to taking their examination.

    It is highly recommended that you review the tutorial for your specific exam prior to arrival at the test center.

    Downloads Format Size
    NBEO Part I (ABS) Tutorial * MSI (EXE) 102.8 MB
    NBEO Part II (PAM/TMOD) Tutorial * MSI (EXE) 79.6 MB
    NBEO ACMO Tutorial * MSI (EXE) 78.8 MB
    NBEO CPDO Tutorial * MSI (EXE) 83.5 MB

    * Windows-based PC required; Tutorial is not available for Mac platforms

    Tutorial system requirements

    All computers at Pearson Professional Centers are Windows-based PCs.

    • Pentium III PC or compatible, 1 GHz (Pentium 4, 2 GHz recommended). Macintosh computers are not supported.
    • 512 MB of RAM
    • 60 MB of empty hard disk space
    • Microsoft Windows XP or 2000 (home or professional version), English edition. The content appears only in English.
    • Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 or higher
    • Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution monitor (1024 x 768 recommended) with high color (16 bit)
    • Microsoft compatible mouse or pointing device
    • Internet access is not required when viewing the tutorial or practice exams.
    Last updated 2020-06-12