Online Optician Certification Training

Prepare for ABO Optician Certification Online

Gain the skills and knowledge you need to obtain an entry-level job as an optician within applicable states. The optician certification training program provides a solid foundation for a successful career as an optician—covering topics like the anatomy of the eye, refractive errors, contact lens fitting, and relevant laws and regulations.

Course content also dives into understanding the eye and common conditions, basic math and algebra for opticians, ophthalmic lens designs, materials, treatments, and more. You will even have a lesson covering a potential career roadmap.

This optician training program concludes by preparing you to take the Basic American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) exams, which include the NOCE (National Opticianry Competency Exam) and the CLRE (Contact Lens Registry Exam), which is required by many states to work as an optician or as a stepping-stone to career advancement.

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Job Outlook for Opticians

The World Health Organization predicts that 3.36 billion people worldwide will be nearsighted by 2030, an increase of 29% over the number of nearsighted people in 2020. In the U.S. alone, myopia (nearsightedness) rates have soared over the past 50 years, from 25% in 1971 to nearly 42% in 2017, according to the National Eye Institute. The condition called presbyopia, or age- related farsightedness, has also increased in case volume as it is most prevalent in our growing aging population.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median salary for opticians is $44,170, with top professionals in this field making over $69,900 per year—making now a great time to get your optician certification online.

By 2033, it is projected that there will be an average of 7,400 job openings for opticians each year. Many of these openings will arise from the need to replace workers who either change careers or leave the workforce, such as through retirement. Optician

Course Objectives

  • Learn how to understand and assign prescriptions to customers
  • Develop an understanding of the human eye and how it functions
  • Review the different corrective eye care solutions available for patients
  • Understand how various prisms and lenses work
  • Prepare to take the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) exams

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites to take this optician certification training course. However, a high school diploma or GED is required to take the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) exams.

After successfully completing this course, you will possess the knowledge required to pass the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) Basic certification exams, Opticianry Certification Exam (NOCE), and Contact Lens Registry Exam (CLRE). However, you should also research your state's requirements prior to pursuing a career as an optician. While some states only require a high school diploma or GED and a 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.

DISCLAIMER: This course does not meet state requirements for students intending to work in North Carolina, New York, and South Carolina. Check the requirements in your state before enrolling, as some states require opticians to complete an apprenticeship program to become licensed.

Instructor

DR. BEVERLY SMITH

Dr. Beverly Smith is a Doctor of Optometry and has been in private practice for 30 years. She holds a Master of Business Administration and founded a consulting firm that helps new practitioners start and manage their own eye care practices. Throughout her career, Smith has taught many future opticians, certified paraoptometrics, and fellow optometrists. Her work has been published in the professional journals New O.D. and Women in Optometry.

Registration and Enrollment

This course is 100% online. Start anytime.

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Optician FAQs

Opticians use data from prescriptions made by optometrists or ophthalmologists to help patients and customers fit glasses or contact lenses. They may take measurements of the ocular area, recommend appropriate frames or contact lenses, and help fit and adjust frames or lenses as needed.

Many U.S. states require certification for opticians. In those that do not, many clinics, eye health facilities, and professionals require certification as a condition of optician employment. ABO certification generally meets both requirements. However, we do recommend researching the state requirements prior to pursuing a career as an optician.

Yes, you will be prepared to take the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) Basic certification exams - Opticianry Certification Exam (NOCE) and Contact Lens Registry Exam (CLRE).

By taking this optician training course, you will learn how to read prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses, become familiar with the equipment opticians use, and gain an understanding of eye anatomy and eye diseases. You will also learn various office responsibilities within an optometrist's office, including bookkeeping, tracking inventory and sales, and maintaining customer records (including payments and prescriptions).

After completing this course, you will be fully prepared to begin a career as an optician and have the skills and knowledge to advance as an optical manager in this popular and exciting medical field.

The ABO exam covers ophthalmic science and a combination of ocular anatomy, principles of ophthalmic products and instruments, dispensing procedures, and legal considerations for opticians.

Opticians need to be able to read and fill prescriptions, calculate formulas, use ophthalmic equipment, keep up with eyewear styles and trends, relate to patients, and understand human eyes and the difficulties and diseases they encounter.