(a) No person other than a licensed optometrist or licensed physician skilled in diseases of the eye or a person licensed or registered by the Arkansas Board of Dispensing Opticians as approved in this chapter shall provide ophthalmic dispensing services to the public until after he or she has passed the written and practical examination conducted by the board and shown proficiency in those subjects and procedures designated by the board, including, but not limited to:
(1) Mechanical optics;
(2) Occupational vision requirements;
(3) Taking facial measurements for proper frame sizing;
(4) Ophthalmic lens types; and
(5) Fitting and adjusting glasses and frames to the face.
(b) A person eligible for licensure or registry under this chapter and desirous of licensure or registry shall make application for examination to the board at least sixty (60) days before the date of examination upon a form and in such a manner as the board shall prescribe. The application shall be accompanied by the fee prescribed in subsection (f) of this section.
(c) Each applicant for licensure or registry under this chapter shall be examined by the board by written and practical examination and shall be required to meet certain standards of performance established by rules adopted by the board.
(d)
(1) Applicants for licensure or registry shall be examined at a time and place and under such supervision as the board may determine.
(2) Examinations shall be given at least one (1) time each year at such places within this state as the board may determine.
(3) The board shall give reasonable public notice of the examinations in accordance with its adopted rules at least ninety (90) days before the administration of the examination.
(4) The board shall notify by mail all individual examination applicants of the time and place of the examination.
(e) Every applicant successfully passing the examination of the board and satisfying the qualifications required by this chapter shall receive from the board a certificate of licensure or a certificate of registry to provide ophthalmic dispensing services to the public as a registered or licensed dispensing optician in this state.
(f) Any person making application for examination for licensure or registry as a dispensing optician shall be required to pay to the Secretary-treasurer of the Arkansas Board of Dispensing Opticians a fee established by the board.