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Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing

DEGREE TYPE

A.S.

TIME TO COMPLETION

2+ years

LOCATIONS

Middlesex

MODE OF STUDY

On-Ground, Hybrid

CAREER FIELD

Health Careers
Do you have solid math and problem-solving skills, love to help others and enjoy hands-on work? Would you like to work in a medical-related field, but without the time and financial commitments of getting a PhD?

Get started with an associate degree in Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing today! This two-year degree program prepares students for future work as licensed opticians working to help others through the design and dispensing of eyeglasses, contact lenses and low-vision aids.

This program is designed for individuals interested in becoming licensed opticians. Successful completion of this program will be accepted in lieu of the four-year, 8,000-hour apprenticeship requirement to become a licensed optician.

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Curriculum

See learning outcomes and required courses for the Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing degree.

Contact

Aarlan Aceto
Professor and Program Coordinator, Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing
Phone: 860-343-5845
Email: aarlan.aceto@ctstate.edu

Learn More

ACCREDITATION

The Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing Program is accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation, PO Box 592, Canton, NY 13617.

Program Accreditation Status

The Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing Program has been accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation since 1990.

The Commission on Opticianry Accreditation (COA), a not-for-profit agency, accredits Opticianry education in the United States.

The mission of the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation is to foster excellence in opticianry education by setting standards, assessing educational effectiveness, and identifying those academic programs that meet the standards, in order to aid programs to produce competent graduates who will provide professional services to the public.

Scope of accreditation: COA accredits two-year Opticianry degree programs and one-year ophthalmic laboratory technology certificate programs in the United States and Canada that are sponsored by post-secondary institutions accredited by agencies recognized by the Department of Education or CHEA.

Recognition: The COA is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA, https://www.chea.org/).

Commission on Opticianry Accreditation
PO Box 592
Canton NY, 13617
http://www.coaccreditation.com/

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT/OUTCOMES

Graduation Statistics

Graduation Year Graduating Percent Graduating Numbers
2019 80% 12 graduates out of 15 total students
2020 73.3% 11 graduates out of 15 total students
2021 80% 8 graduates out of 10 total
2022 50% 7 graduates out of 14 total students
2023 72.2% 13 graduates out of 18 total students

American Board of Opticianry (ABO) Pass Rates

Year Number of Students Sitting for Exam Number of Students Passing Percentage of Students Passing
2019 12 12 100%
2020 11 11 100%
2021 8 8 100%
2022 7 7 100%
2023 13 13 100%

National Contact Lens Registry Examination (NCLE) Pass Rates

Class Sitting for Exam Passing Percent Passing
2019 12 12 100%
2020 11 11 100%
2021 8 7 87.5%
2022 7 6 85.7%
2023 13 13 100%

State Board of Opticianry Licensure Examination (ABO and NCLE certifications are required)

Year Sitting for Exam Passing Percent Passing
2019 12 (CT)
3 (MA)
12 (Overall)		 8
3
10		 66% (CT)
100% (MA)
83.3% (Overall)
2020 11 11 100%
2021 6 6 100%
2022 5 5 100%
2023 12 8 75%

Students Employed in the Vision Care Field

  • 2019 100% (12 out of 12 total students employed)
  • 2020 100% (11 out of 11 total students employed)
  • 2021 100% (8 out of 8 total students employed)
  • 2022 100% (7 out of 7 total students employed)
  • 2023 92.3% (12 out of 13 students)

PROGRAM AND ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Enrollment in this program is restricted because of limited lab facilities, and early application is encouraged. Only completed applications with all documents will be considered. Students are admitted to the fall term only. 

To obtain a degree in this program, Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing students must receive a grade of C or better in Ophthalmic Dispensing courses.