Ophthalmic Assistant

Quick Program Facts

• Institutional Award: 272 certificate hours
• Number of courses: 5
• Accreditation: International Council of Accreditation (ICA)
• Financial aid: Tuition Assistance
• Campus: Trinity River
• Certification: You can become eligible to apply for the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA®) certification examination with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO)

Information Sessions

Attending an information session is an application requirement.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Until we can schedule in-person sessions, review the presentation slides and contact us if you have any questions: Ophthalmic Assistant Information Session (PDF)Listen.

We will post future in-person session dates as soon as our campuses are open.

Questions?

Health Care Professions Advising
Advising Resource Hub

817-515-1484
TR.HealthCareAdvising@tccd.edu

Role of the Ophthalmic Assistant

Career Video

Watch There Is a Career in Sight for You! (link will open in a new window) from IJCAHPO to learn more about the daily work of ophthalmic assistants.

Program Description

Our program prepares you for entry-level work in an:

• Ophthalmology office
• Optometry office
• Optician
• Optical office setting

You will learn to:

• Test and measure eye function
• Fit and dispense contact lenses and eyeglasses
• Perform other office duties, such as:
  • Appointment scheduling
  • Third-party management
  • Payroll
  • Purchasing
  • Billing/collections

Credentials in Detail

After successfully completing all required courses and 500 hours (within 12 months) of documented work hours related to ophthalmology, you will be eligible to apply for the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA^®) certification examination with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO).

Eligibility & Prerequisites

• High school diploma or GED.
• TSI-met or passing score on the Adult Basic Education (TABE) test, if applicable

Course List

• Ophthalmic Assistant

Check course availability

Go to Course Sections Offered by Term in WebAdvisor and scroll down to Continuing Education Terms.

How to Apply

1. Attend an information session.
   • Submit your certification of completion form.
2. Gather the required supporting documents and scan them if applicable.
   • Driver license or government-issued identification
   • Original Social Security Card
   • Test score(s), if applicable
   • College transcript(s), official or unofficial, with a grade of "C" or higher to waive TSI/TABE
3. Download, print, and fill out the application.
   • 2020 Ophthalmic Assistant Program Application (PDF)Listen
     • If you have accessibility questions about this application, please email us at TR.HealthCareAdvising@tccd.edu.
   • Application Deadline: Monday, September 21, 2020
4. Email your completed application and supporting documents to TR.HealthCareAdvising@tccd.edu.
5. Register for class.
   • Once you have been accepted, you may register for Ophthalmic Assistant courses.

Additional Accommodations

If you need to request accommodations, please call us at 817-515-1484.

Explore Our Professional Development Course

• Ophthalmic Assistant Training

Contact

Trinity River Campus

Health Care Professions Advising
Advising Resource Hub

817-515-1484
TR.HealthCareAdvising@tccd.edu

Advising by Appointment 

Fall & Spring Hours: Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Summer Hours: Monday–Thursday: 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Updated September 14, 2020