***Legislation passed during the 2025 West Virginia Legislative Session requires that all new Optometry license applicants be laser certified effective July 9, 2025.***
If you are interested in applying for a West Virginia, you must apply for a license at the highest level of licensure (now injection and laser certified), please contact the Board office beginning July 21, 2025 to begin an application.
For new graduates after May 1, 2025, all new applicants must graduate from an accredited Optometry school or College of Optometry AND pass the Laser and Surgical Procedures Examination (LSPE) administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) as defined in W. Va. Code §30-8B-5. For a current list of accredited Optometry Schools or Colleges of Optometry, please visit the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO).
For current West Virginia licensees who wish to become laser certified: Applicants must complete an approved course for injection certification or pass the NEBO ISE exam AND complete an approved course for ophthalmic laser utilization certification or pass the NBEO LSPE exam.
Current list of approved courses for ophthalmic laser utilization certification as of July 2025:
Ohio Optometric Association
Ohio State College of Optometry
July 17-20, 2025
Advanced Procedures Laser Course
https://www.ooa.org/aws/OOA/pt/sd/news_article/589819/_PARENT/layout_details/false
Virginia Optometric Association
August 8-11, 2025
16 hour Laser Course
https://www.thevoa.org/assets/docs/VOA%20%20Laser%20Conference%202025%20Program.pdf
American Academy of Optometry
October 8-11, 2025
Advanced Procedures Surgical and Laser Course
https://aaopt.org/meetings/academy-2025-boston-2/advanced-ophthalmic-procedures/
UPike - KY College of Optometry
October 23-26, 2025
Expanded Therapeutic Procedures Surgical and Laser
https://www.upike.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/KYCO-CE-Registration-Information-Oct-23-26-2025.pdf
If you do not see a course listed you believe meets the necessary criteria for ophthalmic laser utilization certification education requirement, please contact the Board for pre-approval before completing the course.