The American Board of Optometry notified Dr. Thomas P. Nadeau, O.D. of Sheepscot Eye Associates that he had become a board certified optometrist. The process involves completing an application and an eight-hour exam. Nadeau learned he had passed the eight-hour exam and met all of the requirements on March 19.

Board Certification and Maintenance of Certification for optometry is a means of demonstrating ongoing clinical competence, independent of established licensing and regulatory boards.

“Having a license is the minimum requirement to practice,” Nadeau said. “Being board certified means you have met an additional level of criteria to, hopefully,  make you a better doctor and provide better care.”

To maintain board certification he must take a minimum of 100 hours of classes every three years. Also during the same time frame, Nadeau must undergo two self assessment tests and one performance in practice exam. Every 10 years, the full eight- hour board exam must be retaken to be recertified.

Having been involved for many years within his profession, Nadeau long felt the continued education and competency should be essential to providing ongoing patient care at the highest level. Nadeau graduated from optometry school in 1977.  In 1986, he took a 100-hour therapeutic course and exam, which allow him to begin treating eye diseases.

In 1997, he took a course in advanced therapeutic and glaucoma, along with an exam to allow him to increase the scope of diseases that he could treat. In 2002, he was granted an advanced therapeutic license, which allowed him to treat patients with glaucoma.

“Continuing education is necessary to maintain and improve quality patient care,” Nadeau said. “I'm excited that even after 36 years of practice I am still able to find ways to grow.”