Optician Certification Training

Opticians are in high demand in the job market, and the need for eye care professionals is constantly expanding. In this online program, you’ll gain the skills and knowledge you need to obtain an entry-level job as an optician while you prepare yourself to achieve American Board of Opticianry (ABO) certification —a certification that’s required by many states and is a stepping stone to career advancement. You will master the mathematical formulas that opticians need to know, discover how to read prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses, explore the basics of eyewear styles and materials, become familiar with the equipment opticians use, learn about prisms and lens types, and gain an understanding of eye anatomy and eye diseases. By the time you complete this program, you’ll be fully prepared to begin a career as an optician—and you’ll have the skills and knowledge you need to advance in this popular and exciting medical field.

When you complete this program, you will:

• Be qualified to obtain an entry-level position as an optician in a retail or medical setting.  (Some states require ABO certification.)
• Be prepared to take the ABO exam, if you have a high school degree or GED.
• Be knowledgeable about ocular anatomy, eye diseases and conditions, frame styling and adjustment, eyewear selection, glasses lens and contact lens selection, prescriptions, and the equipment and mathematical formulas used in opticianry.

Opticians are in high demand in the job market, and the need for eye care professionals is constantly expanding. Better yet, the field of opticianry is full of opportunities—from working as a frame stylist in a retail setting to teaching or working in a medical clinic. This course will help you gain the skills and knowledge to obtain an entry-level job as an optician. 

With the help of step-by-step instructions, you’ll master the mathematical formulas that opticians need to know. In addition, you’ll discover how to read prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses, explore the basics of eyewear styles and materials, become familiar with the equipment opticians use, learn about prisms and lens types, and gain an understanding of eye anatomy and eye diseases. By the time you complete this program, you’ll be fully prepared to begin a career as an optician—and you’ll have the skills and knowledge you need to advance in this popular and exciting medical field.

After successfully completing this course, you will possess the knowledge required to pass the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) exam. However, we do recommend researching your state’s requirements prior to pursuing a career as an optician. While some states only require a high school diploma or GED and passing score on the ABO exam to fulfill licensing requirements, others have their own optician licensing exams. Additionally, some states may require that opticians complete an apprenticeship program or degree program in order to become licensed. 

Upon registering, you're given six months to complete this program.

Lesson 1:  What Is an Optician?

Lesson 2:  The Parts of the Eye

Lesson 3:  Refractive Errors

Lesson 4:  Strabismus and Amblyopia

Lesson 5:  Other Common Ocular Conditions

Lesson 6:  Frame Basics

Lesson 7:  Frame Styling

Lesson 8:  Aligning Frames

Lesson 9:  Adjusting Frames

Lesson 10:  A Quick Look at Light

Lesson 11:  Reading a Prescription

Lesson 12:  More About Prescriptions and Lens Types

Lesson 13:  Lens Materials

Lesson 14:  Prism Basics

Lesson 15:  Fresnel Prisms

Lesson 16:  Optical Effects of Lens Curvature

Lesson 17:  Multifocal Lens Considerations

Lesson 18:  The Manual Lensometer

Lesson 19:  More About Opticianry Measurements and Calculations

Lesson 20:  Simple Math and Algebra

Lesson 21:  Soft Contact Lenses 

Lesson 22:  Gas-Permeable Contact Lenses

Lesson 23:  Legal Responsibilities and Ethics

Lesson 24:  Preparing for the ABO Exam

Your tuition for this program includes these textbooks:

• System for Ophthalmic Dispensing, by Clifford W. Brooks and Irvin Borish
• The Optician Training Manual, by David S. McCleary
• All About Your Eyes, by Jennifer S. Weizer and Sharon Fekrat

This program can be taken on a PC or a Mac. The program is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000. It is also compatible with Internet Explorer (versions 5.5 through 8) and Firefox (any version).

Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Acrobat Reader are required for this course.

Hardware Requirements:

For Windows Vista or Windows 7: Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® dual-core processor, 3.0 GHz or higher with SSE2 technology; for Windows XP: Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon dual-core processor, 1.6 GHz or higher with SSE2 technology

There is no prerequisite for taking this program. However a high school diploma or GED is required to take the ABO exam. 

1. Can I register for programs if I am an international student?

Yes, because ed2go programs are online you never have to actually travel to the school. Most schools offer telephone or online registration. 

2. How long does it take to complete a program?

All of our programs are self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start them when you want and finish them at your own pace. Upon registering, you're given six months to complete this program. 

3. Do I have to buy additional materials?

All the materials you'll need are included, and their cost will be covered by your tuition. ed2go will ship all materials ground service upon enrollment.

4. Can I get financial assistance?

ed2go courses are non-credit courses, so they do not qualify for federal aid. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses.

5. What happens when I complete the program?

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a certificate of completion.

6. Am I guaranteed a job?

ed2go programs will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. We don't provide direct job placement services, but our facilitators and career counselors will help you build your resume and are available to give advice on finding your first job. Facilitators will also be available to use as a professional reference upon completion of the program. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

7. Who will be my instructor?

Each student is paired up with a facilitator for one-on-one interaction. The facilitator will be available (via e-mail) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. All of our facilitators are successful working professionals in the fields in which they teach.

8. What software or hardware do I need in order to take online programs and what are the system requirements?

In order to take our online programs, you must have access to a computer and the Internet. You can access the program contents from any Web-enabled computer. You don't have to use the same computer to log-in to the program every time. We recommend that you have a word-processing program (Microsoft Word is best) and the latest version of Internet Explorer.

9. Can I use a Mac?

Yes, you can use a Mac for this program.

10. How can I get more information about the program?

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, please feel free to contact us via LIVE chat (click the button toward the top of the page). If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please feel free to send us a question using the "Contact Us" form to the right. You may also call us at 1-855-520-6806. We will answer your questions promptly.

11. When can I start the program?

Our programs are all open enrollment. You can register and start the program as soon as you are ready.

Please note: Once the program curriculum is accessed online or through submission of a material shipment confirmation, refunds cannot be issued.

The time allotted to complete your program has been calculated based on the number of hours for each program, so don't worry too much about not completing in time. If, after a concerted effort, you are still unable to complete, your Student Advisor will help you work out a suitable completion date. Please note that a fee will be charged for an extension.