Ophthalmic Assistant

Quick Program Facts

• Institutional Award: 304 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.

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.

Questions?

Health Care Professions Advising Resource Hub

Call 817-515-1484
Email 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).

Licensing Notice: Texas House Bill 1508

This program prepares you for an occupational license. However, you may not be eligible for licensing if you have a prior criminal history.

For more details, see Texas House Bill 1508 Licensing Requirements

Interested in a Credit Program?

Learn about our Ophthalmic Technician degree and certificate options. 

Eligibility & Prerequisites

• High school diploma or GED.
• TSI-met or passing score on the Adult Basic Education (TABE) test, if applicable
  • Find out how to take the TABE at TCC

Course List

• Ophthalmic Assistant

Check Course Availability

1. Go to MyTCCTrack: Search for Courses & Course Sections—Advanced Search.
2. Under Term, select a Continuing Education (CE) Term.
   • Example: CE Qtr 1 2023 Sep-Nov
3. Under Academic Level, choose Continuing Education.
4. Select Search.
5. Use the Filter Results menu to help you narrow your search:
   • Under Availability, choose Open Sections Only to find classes that aren't full.
   • Under Subject, choose a subject to further filter the results.

Application Deadline

• TBN

How to Apply

1. Attend an information session.
   • Submit your certification of completion form.
2. Gather the required supporting documents & scan them if applicable.
   • 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 & fill out the application.
   • We will post the application here once the next program is scheduled.
4. Submit your application via U.S. Postal Service or in person to:
   • Jozelin Garcia, Administrative Assistant
     Health Science Division
     TCC Trinity River Campus East
     TRHA 6111
     245 East Belknap
     Fort Worth, TX 76102
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.

Contact

Updated August 14, 2023