CEBT Designation Adds Credibility
Certified Eye Bank Technician Equals Competency
By Rae Price - July 8, 2024
Pictured: Corneal Excision under our flow hood.
Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank (RMLEB) is respected by eye surgeons in the United States and around the world for providing quality eye tissue for transplantation to save and restore sight.
One thing that helps RMLEB maintain its reputation and high standards is the number of staff who have attained Certified Eye Bank Technician (CEBT) status. The CEBT designation is offered by the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) with a test that requires eye bank technicians to pass a rigorous examination as well as demonstrate proficiency in a corneal excision procedure.
The CEBT Certification
“Earning the CEBT designation is not a small task,” said RMLEB Executive Director John Lohmeier. He continued, “It requires meeting requirements to take the exam which consists of a practical and written component. The 250 multiple-choice questions cover anatomy and physiology, quality assurance and control, donor-related issues, and tissue-related procedures.”
Offered two times a year, a candidate must receive a score of 187 to pass the exam.
“RMLEB’s most recent employee to take the certification had the highest score in the nation for that round of testing,” said Lohmeier. In that round the total pass rate was 67 percent of participants.
According to the EBAA website, candidates for the certification must also successfully demonstrate proficiency in the recovery of corneoscleral rims, which must be witnessed and verified by the candidate’s medical director and technical trainer. Because of the depth of content in the exam, RMLEB’s Technical Manager, Staci Terrin, said candidates for the exam generally have a few years of experience with the eye bank before taking the test.
Eye banks are required to have at least one staff member with CEBT designation to obtain accreditation by the EBAA. Currently 25 percent of RMELB’s technical employees have obtained the CEBT status.
“Our ongoing commitment to providing quality eye tissue to surgeons is backed in part by our highly trained and certified recovery and processing technicians. I would like to double the number of certified technicians in the next few years,” said Lohmeier. He added, “The certification also offers RMLEB employees an opportunity for professional development to further a career in the eye banking profession.”
Ongoing Education
To maintain the certification, technicians need to earn 16 continuing education units (CEUs) and meet the EBAA course requirements within each three-year period.
The EBAA website outlines requirements for certification as: An applicant for eye bank technician certification must meet the following criteria:
RMLEB is always looking for qualified eye tissue recovery coordinators and technicians to help fulfill its mission to help another overcome blindness through transplantation and research. For more information visit our careers page.
Go Back Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank (RMLEB) is respected by eye surgeons in the United States and around the world for providing quality eye tissue for transplantation to save and restore sight.
One thing that helps RMLEB maintain its reputation and high standards is the number of staff who have attained Certified Eye Bank Technician (CEBT) status. The CEBT designation is offered by the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) with a test that requires eye bank technicians to pass a rigorous examination as well as demonstrate proficiency in a corneal excision procedure.
The CEBT Certification
“Earning the CEBT designation is not a small task,” said RMLEB Executive Director John Lohmeier. He continued, “It requires meeting requirements to take the exam which consists of a practical and written component. The 250 multiple-choice questions cover anatomy and physiology, quality assurance and control, donor-related issues, and tissue-related procedures.”
Offered two times a year, a candidate must receive a score of 187 to pass the exam.
“RMLEB’s most recent employee to take the certification had the highest score in the nation for that round of testing,” said Lohmeier. In that round the total pass rate was 67 percent of participants.
According to the EBAA website, candidates for the certification must also successfully demonstrate proficiency in the recovery of corneoscleral rims, which must be witnessed and verified by the candidate’s medical director and technical trainer. Because of the depth of content in the exam, RMLEB’s Technical Manager, Staci Terrin, said candidates for the exam generally have a few years of experience with the eye bank before taking the test.
Eye banks are required to have at least one staff member with CEBT designation to obtain accreditation by the EBAA. Currently 25 percent of RMELB’s technical employees have obtained the CEBT status.
“Our ongoing commitment to providing quality eye tissue to surgeons is backed in part by our highly trained and certified recovery and processing technicians. I would like to double the number of certified technicians in the next few years,” said Lohmeier. He added, “The certification also offers RMLEB employees an opportunity for professional development to further a career in the eye banking profession.”
Ongoing Education
To maintain the certification, technicians need to earn 16 continuing education units (CEUs) and meet the EBAA course requirements within each three-year period.
The EBAA website outlines requirements for certification as: An applicant for eye bank technician certification must meet the following criteria:
- Possess a high school degree or GED, AND a minimum of six (6) months of experience within the past two (2) years in a transplant organization with active involvement in the procurement and processing eyes, tissues and/or organs, and be recommended by the executive director, and a physician who meets the requirement of an “eye bank medical director,” as defined in C1.200 of the Medical Standards.
- Submit a completed “Practical Performance Competency Verification” form, including a written recommendation signed by a technician trainer, and a physician who is currently active as, and meets the requirements of an “eye bank medical director” as defined in C1.200 of the Medical Standards.
RMLEB is always looking for qualified eye tissue recovery coordinators and technicians to help fulfill its mission to help another overcome blindness through transplantation and research. For more information visit our careers page.