Ophthalmic Assistants are in High Demand in WNC
This course, offered by A-B Tech, is designed to provide participants with an understanding of the fundamentals of ophthalmic assisting.
Training is available at A-B Tech along with financial aid.
An Ophthalmic Assistant works with an Ophthalmologist (eye doctor) by helping with the patient’s needs.
Ophthalmic assistants are the first point of contact between the patient and the doctor. This means that they have an extremely important role in the patient experience and in providing excellent care to the patient. Ophthalmic assistants play an important role in taking patient histories and introducing patients to the kinds of medical procedures they might need. For this reason, ophthalmic techs must be comfortable answering patient questions and helping them understand clearly what different eye conditions and medical procedures mean.
This course is designed to provide participants with an understanding of the fundamentals of ophthalmic assisting. It provides participants with an in-depth knowledge of various equipment, procedures, and techniques needed to function smoothly and efficiently in an ophthalmic practice. Students will be prepared to work with an ophthalmologist to provide patient care by performing many different eye-related clinical functions.
The full program consists of two courses with a total of 641 hours—108 lecture hours; 5 hours CPR; 528 clinical hours—and is taught by Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologists. Students must successfully complete both lecture and clinical portions to complete the program successfully. Students who successfully complete the entire program will be eligible to take the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) exam.
Starting salaries in this field average about $33,000-$38,000 per year. Financial aid is available, and upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to sit for the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) exam.
A-B Tech Continuing Education is accredited by the International Council of Accreditation (ICA). We offer the opportunity to sit for a certification exam by The International Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (IJCAHPO), an international certification.
As part of the pre-requisite for this program, there will be a background check and a drug screen.
For more information, please call the Health Occupations Office at (828) 398-7878 or visit abtech.edu/ophthalmic.
