Sort of nerve required, seeing credit cut after work (5)
I believe the answer is:
optic
'sort of nerve required seeing' is the definition.
'credit cut after work' is the wordplay.
'credit' becomes 'tick' (I've seen this before).
'cut' means to remove the last letter.
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'work' becomes 'op' (abbreviation for opus).
'tick' with its final letter taken off is 'tic'.
'tic' put after 'op' is 'OPTIC'.
(Other definitions for optic that I've seen before include "Alcoholic drink dispenser" , "Spirit measuring device" , "Pertaining to the eye" , "Spirits dispenser" , "Of sight or the eye" .)