The Ivy Tech Optician and Eye Care program can prepare you to become an essential part of an eye care team. Optician and Eye Care is a limited enrollment program that teaches students skills such as:
Assisting with eyeglasses selection, adjustment and repair
Measuring and ordering prescription eyeglass lenses
Creating prescription eyeglass lenses
Measuring prescription power in lenses
Testing visual acuity, color vision, depth perception, field of vision and pressures in the eye
Aiding with contact lens fitting and follow-up exams
Career Options
Ivy Tech Optician and Eye Care program students can gain the knowledge and skills to work in an eye doctor’s office. Graduates are qualified for careers assisting optometrists or ophthalmologists, in roles including:
Optician
Ophthalmic Technician
Optometric Technician
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician
Dispensing Optician
Contact Lens Technician
Degree Types Offered
Credential Type
Associate Degree – Career-Ready Degree
Long-Term Certificate
– known as a Technical Certificate (TC)
Short-Term Certificate
– known as a Certificate (CT)
Note: Program availability varies by location and not all program tracks are offered at each campus/location.
HOW TO APPLY
Future Students
Students interested in the Optician & Eye Care program must apply to Ivy Tech first using the Ivy Tech general application. In this application, apply for the Healthcare Specialist program with an interest in Optician & Eye Care. Apply to Ivy Tech Now
The Optician and Eye Care program at Ivy Tech has a selective admissions process, which means not all students who apply to the program will be accepted. Learn More about Selective Admissions
one of a kind in Indiana
The Ivy Tech Optician and Eye Care program is the only optician/technician training program in Indiana. Its graduates earn between $2 and $9 more hourly, on average, than the standard wage for opticians in Indiana.* Graduates of Ivy Tech's Optician and Eye Care program have a 100% job placement rate.
Ivy Tech's AAS in Optician and Eye Care degree program offers hands-on preparation for careers as opticians. Courses teach students how to assist eye doctors in tasks like:
Selecting, adjusting and repairing glasses
Measuring and ordering lenses
Identifying lens types and coatings
Shaping lenses
Using lens clocks and other hand tools
Measuring visual acuity, color vision, depth perception, field of vision and pressure in the eye
When students complete 33 credit hours of the 60 required for the degree, they are eligible to take the National Opticianry Competency Examination and the Contact Lens Registry Examination.
Completion Guide
A completion guide provides the recommended path to graduation, broken out by 8-week terms. For students taking fewer classes at a time, the courses are numbered to show the overall number that will be taken.
Please consult with your advisor to determine which classes are the best option for you to take. Completion guides may vary by campus/location dependent on clinical availability.
Sample Careers
Graduates of the AAS in Optician and Eye Care degree program can pursue jobs working with optometrists or ophthalmologists as:
Opticians
Ophthalmic technicians
Optometric technicians
Ophthalmic laboratory technicians
Dispensing opticians
Contact lens technicians
Program Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are the competencies that Ivy Tech students should
be well versed in upon graduating from the program.
Long-Term Certificate
known as a Technical Certificate (TC)
Ivy Tech's Optician and Eye Care Technical Certificate (TC) offers an entry-level credential for students interested in an optician career. The program teaches students how to perform tasks such as:
Selecting, adjusting and repairing glasses
Measuring and ordering lenses
Identifying lens types and coatings
Shaping lenses
Using lens clocks and other hand tools
Measuring visual acuity, color vision, depth perception, field of vision and pressure in the eye
The Optician and Eye Care TC requires 33 credit hours, or two semesters.
Prep for Industry Exams
Upon completion of the TC's 33 credit hours, students are eligible to take the National Opticianry Competency Examination and the Contact Lens Registry Examination.
FREE Through Next Level Jobs
The Optician and Eye Care TC is part of Indiana’s Next Level Jobs degree program, funded by the Workforce Ready Grant. You may be eligible for a free Optician and Eye Care long-term certificate. You are eligible to be a part of Next Level Jobs at Ivy Tech if you fulfill all of the following requirements:
Are an Indiana resident
Have a high school diploma or GED/High School Equivalency
Have not previously received a certificate in a Next Level Jobs eligible program
Have not previously received an associate degree or higher (bachelors, masters, etc.)*
*Note: Students who are admitted to the Next Level Jobs program to pursue the Eye Care long-term certificate are required to pay for and submit to a criminal background check, drug testing, and physical exam.
Building on Your Certificate
If your goal is to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Optician and Eye Care, you can earn this long-term certificate on your way. The certificate is designed to provide an entry-level optician and eye care credential to start your career.
Required Courses
The 33 required credit hours in the Optician and Eye Care TC include:
A completion guide provides the recommended path to graduation, broken out by 8-week terms. For students taking fewer classes at a time, the courses are numbered to show the overall number that will be taken.
Please consult with your advisor to determine which classes are the best option for you to take. Completion guides may vary by campus/location dependent on clinical availability.
Sample Careers
The Optician and Eye Care TC degree program can prepare you for jobs working with optometrists or ophthalmologists as an:
Optician
Ophthalmic technician
Optometric technician
Ophthalmic laboratory technician
Dispensing optician
Contact lens technician
Program Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are the competencies that Ivy Tech students should
be well versed in upon graduating from the program.
Short-Term Certificate
known as a Certificate (CT)
Ivy Tech's Optician and Eye Care Certificate (CT) is designed for professionals already working in this field.
Students in the certificate program can build on their on-the-job experience to earn an educational credential. They also can prepare for the National Opticianry Competency Examination and the Contact Lens Registry Examination.
The Ivy Tech Optician and Eye Care CT covers topics such as:
A completion guide provides the recommended path to graduation, broken out by 8-week terms. For students taking fewer classes at a time, the courses are numbered to show the overall number that will be taken.
Please consult with your advisor to determine which classes are the best option for you to take. Completion guides may vary by campus/location dependent on clinical availability.
Sample Careers
Students earning an Optician and Eye Care CT will gain a formal credential to support their careers working in optometrist or ophthalmologist offices. Careers can include:
Optician
Ophthalmic laboratory technician
Dispensing optician
Contact lens technician
Close
Program Details
Optician & Eye Care is offered at 1 Ivy Tech locations in Indiana. Each location offers a unique combination of certificate and degree options:
Careers in the optician and eye care field offer an opportunity to make a difference in people's lives every day. These jobs typically feature a variety of day-to-day activities and excellent job placement and stability. Additionally, formal education in this area can lead to higher wages and faster promotions than on-the-job training.
Because they work with patients from a variety of backgrounds and with different visual needs, opticians and other eye care professionals need good interpersonal skills. Successful optician and eye care students and professionals also have good critical thinking skills, which help them find solutions to vision-related issues.
The Ivy Tech Optician and Eye Care program is a full-time, daytime-only program. Students must provide their own transportation to and from clinical sites.
Sound Like You?
If you identify with the details, skills and traits above, optician and eye care may be the path for you! Take the next step to get started, or speak with your local advisor to learn more.
The Ivy Tech Optician & Eye Care program can be a challenging, yet rewarding, program. Before you apply, review the following requirements and expectations for students in the program.
Time Commitment
The Associate of Applied Science in Optician and Eye Care Program requires a major commitment of time and energy. Students must be enrolled as a Full-Time student with courses scheduled over several days per week. Students may also need to schedule additional general education courses as needed each semester. It is essential tha you plan for the same amount of study time as class time per week. Course schedules and assignment due dates will not be adjusted to accommodate individual work schedules.
We have designed the Program to be as flexible as possible. Many lectures have flexibility, meaning students can come to campus, attend on Zoom, or watch a recording and submit an additional participation assignment. Most successful students attend live; utilizing the recording option is (1) a privilege that may be revoked if performance suffers, and (2) requires extra dedication and time on the student’s part. All Labs have required attendance at their scheduled times and no exceptions will be made.
You can expect to spend the following hours each week in active contact for your courses (based on 16 week courses):
Lecture classes: 1 classroom contact hours per credit hour
Lab classes: 2 lab contact hours per credit hour Most OPTI courses are Lecture + Lab, meaning a 3 credit hour course requires 4 weekly contact hours.
Students are expected to attend all class meetings, or other activities assigned as a part of a course of instruction. Attendance is necessary to maximize student-learning opportunities. Students who are absent are responsible for missed material. Clinical courses require that the student be present to effectively evaluate successful achievement of clinical course objectives and concepts, as clinical course objectives cannot be accomplished or evaluated outside the clinical setting. There are no make-up sessions for missed clinical hours; therefore, regular clinical attendance is mandatory for successful clinical course and program completion.
Additionally, students must be prepared to travel to and from Optometry Practices within 60 miles of the Bloomington area in order to complete clinical practicum hours. For referene, the Long-Term Certificate includes 75 clinical hours, while the Associate of Applied Science degree includes an additional 384 clinical practicum hours.
Physical Requirements
For admission to the program, students also must display the following essential functions and skills:
Motor skills
Physical strength and endurance
Mobility
Hearing
Visual
Touching
Smell
Communication
Emotional stability
Students accepted into the program must submit to a criminal background check and drug testing. They also must have required vaccinations, including COVID.
Program-Specific Costs
In addition to tuition, there are several equipment and exam costs that students will incur during the program.
Consumable fees – $60 per applicable course for a total of $240 (Courses: OPTI 151, 153, 251, 121)
Background check and drug screen – $95
Scrub jacket and name tag – $ 50
Vaccination fees – Cost dependent on where you receive vaccines and your insurance coverage
If you have any concerns about these costs, please speak with a member of our financial aid team to discuss options available for support.
Prerequisite Courses for Optician and Eye Care
Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or higher is required for admission to the Optician and Eye Care Associate of Applied Science (AAS) and both the long- and short-term certificate programs:
MATH 123 Quantitative Reasoning
HLHS 101 Medical Terminology
No Expiration of Credits
There is no expiration date for course credits that were earned in previous years from Ivy Tech Community College.
Transfer Credit for Prerequisite Courses
Prerequisite courses completed at colleges other than Ivy Tech will only be considered for general education selection points if transfer credit has been awarded and courses appear on the Ivy Tech transcript prior to the application deadline.
TR grades are not recognized by the online application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transfer credit has been awarded and that TR grades are updated to transfer letter grades (TA, TB, TC) on their Ivy Tech transcript.
It is recommended that college transcripts be submitted to the Registrar’s office for evaluation and transfer credit at least 4 weeks prior to the program application deadline to ensure adequate time for processing.
Optician and Eye Care Courses
Descriptions of optician and eye care courses can be found in our online course catalog. View required classes and course descriptions for:
See when specific classes will be offered by searching our class list in Schedule Builder. First, select the semester you’re looking for and then enter the name of the class in the search bar.
If you’re a current student, upcoming classes are easy to find in Schedule Builder in MyIvy.
Class Formats
General Education courses (OPTI 279 Optician and Eye Care Capstone Course and IVYT 112 Student Success - Health Science and Nursing) are available through online instruction.
Due to the nature of the optician and eye care profession and the practical labs and coursework in the curriculum, most courses are taught in a traditional, in-person format. The program offers students hands-on training through practicums at local optometry facilities.
We have designed the Program to be as flexible as possible. Many lectures have flexibility, meaning students can come to campus, attend on Zoom, or watch a recording and submit an additional participation assignment. Most successful students attend live; utilizing the recording option is (1) a privilege that may be revoked if performance suffers, and (2) requires extra dedication and time on the student’s part. All Labs have required attendance at their scheduled times and no exceptions will be made.
Step 1
Apply to Ivy Tech
Students interested in the Optician & Eye Care program must first submit the Ivy Tech general application and complete requirements for admission to the college. During this application, you should apply for Healthcare Support program with a concentration in Optician & Eye Care. Admission to the college does not ensure acceptance to a health science program, but students can be working on prerequisite courses for Optician & Eye Care after admission to the college and before applying to the program itself.
While you are taking your prerequisites and prior to formally applying to the Optician & Eye Care program, all interested students are required to attend an information session. These sessions are held on Zoom. View upcoming sessions below and click to register.
Following completion of prerequisite courses and an information session, you may apply for the Optician & Eye Care program through the online application for health science programs.
Please note that the Optician & Eye Care program is a selective admission program, which means there are a limited number of spots each year.
The Optician and Eye Care program begins each fall. The application window is between March 15 and May 15 to begin the program that year.
Filling Out the Optician & Eye Care Online Application
If you are not a current Ivy Tech Community College student, please Apply Now. You will need a C# (Ivy Tech student ID number) and Ivy Tech single sign-on login credentials in order to apply.
Gather all required or optional documentation that you will need to upload into the system. View more about requirements here. You will have the ability to save your application in progress until you are able to secure documentation.
If you are transferring from another institution, please make sure that your transcripts are evaluated at least 4 weeks prior to the application deadline.
Check to make sure your personal information is accurate.
Select the programs and campuses you would like to be considered as an applicant. You can select up to three different programs and three different campuses. (Some students choose to apply to multiple programs within the School of Health Sciences.)
You must meet all of the prerequisites for a program in order to submit your application. If you receive a message indicating that you do not meet the prerequisites, then please remove that program selection in order to proceed with the application.
Upload any necessary documents.
Make sure grades in the system are accurate. If not, please contact your home campus registrar or advisor.
You will be able to submit your application if you are currently enrolled in a course identified as a prerequisite for the program.
Once complete, submit your application.
You will receive an email confirmation in your Ivy Tech email account that your application has been submitted and is pending review.
Once you have submitted your application, you have the option to reopen it to make changes.
Note: DO NOT USE THE “BACK” function on your computer. Use the navigation pane at the side of the page to navigate.
To learn more about the Health Sciences and Nursing application process, watch the below video, read the FAQ, or contact your campus of interest.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out to the program director, Leanne Short at 812-330-6057 or cshort50@ivytech.edu.
Offers of Admission
Students can select up to three credential types and three campuses each on the application. Offers of acceptance are for a specific credential and a specific campus. The offers are determined through eight rounds of auto-selection and six rounds of manual selection.
If you are accepted, you will receive an email from the online application system to your Ivy Tech email account offering you a seat in the program you selected. Offers are emailed beginning within one week of the application close date and continue until program capacity is met or one week before the start of semester classes. Each round of offers begins at 6:00 am and applicants have until 11:59 pm the following day to either accept or reject an offer.
Depending on their rank and offers, a student could potentially receive multiple offers. Once you accept one offer, you are immediately withdrawn from all other offers and you will be contacted by the chair or dean of the program with information about the program orientation date, time, and location.
If a student fails to respond, then the offer expires. If a student rejects an offer three (3) times, the application is removed from the auto-selection application pool but will then be available for manual selection rounds that occur later in the process.
You do have the ability to withdraw your application at any point during the admission cycle. However, once you withdraw your application, you will not be able to apply again until the next application cycle.
What If I Don’t Get Admitted?
The Optician & Eye Care program does not maintain a waitlist. Non-admitted applicants can reapply in the next semester’s application cycle. You may also want to meet with your advisor. Advisors can assist students in exploring other programs of interest in Ivy Tech’s School of Health Sciences if they have applied several times and have not been accepted into the program. Ivy Tech offers many programs similar to Optician & Eye Care that lead to high-demand jobs that may be new to you but fit your passion to help others.
What is Selective Admission?
The Optician & Eye Care program is a selective admissions program. Due to the nature of this program and the high number of applications received, we are only able to accept a small number of students each year.
Weighted Point System
A weighted point system is used to evaluate applicants for admission. Student applications are assigned points based on their grades in prerequisite courses. Point totals for applicants receiving admission offers will vary between campuses. Point totals are not shared.
General Education Weighted Point System
When multiple course attempts are reported on applicant transcripts (including transcripts from other colleges and universities), the highest earned grade of the first three attempts will be used for the selection decision score through the application period. Points for courses transferred from other institutions will be awarded from the grade recorded on the transcript from the other institution provided transfer credit appears on the Ivy Tech transcript.
Point System
Course
Points Awarded by Grade
MATH 123
HLHS 101
A = 30 points
B = 20 points
C = 10 points
D = 0 points
F = 0 points
Preparing Students to Pass
Upon completion of the Long-Term Certificate or 33 credit hours of the 60 required for the Associate of Applied Science, students are eligible to take the following exams:
National Opticianry Competency Examination
Contact Lens Registry Examination
These exams demonstrate to the public, your co-workers, and the industry that you are qualified and competent. It identifies you to the public as a dispenser who will handle their eye wear needs with competence. Certification is also recognized by employers as a standard of competence, and it can offer tangible rewards such as increased earning power and job opportunities. ABO and NCLE is a national standard, not a state license; therefore it is recognized in every state and many foreign countries. In non-licensing states such as Indiana, Certification is especially important; it is your only credential - your professional distinction.
Ivy Tech Student Success
Ivy Tech AAS in Optician and Eye Care graduates have a pass rate of more than 90% on their the first try taking these exams.*
*Results of Ivy Tech students who have taken the exam from 2017-2022
Learn more about the Optician and Eye Care Program at Ivy Tech Bloomington. (1:46)
“The Optician and Eye Care program thoroughly prepared me for a career as an optician, even while I was still enrolled in the program. It was a big career change for me, but I would take the opportunity again every time.”
–Jared S. | Ivy Tech Grad
“Ivy Tech’s Optician and eyecare program has changed my life. Not only did I learn the skills I needed to have a successful career in eyecare, I made lifelong friends and career connections. The teachers are kind and dedicated and even after I graduated, they’ve always been helpful with questions and growth opportunities! I hired for a job in the field before I graduated, and when I am out traveling and people find out I’m a graduate of the program, I get job offers. It’s very comforting to know wherever I move, there will be a job for me- Thanks to the skills I learned at Ivy Tech!”
–Rebecca M. | Ivy Tech Grad
“The Optician and Eye Care Program gave me an opportunity to learn and master skills in the Optical Field. Helping others has always been a passion of mine. This Program has allowed me to follow that passion. I’m glad that I took this chance.”
–Zach S. | Ivy Tech Grad
“The Optician and Eye Care Program was the right decision for me to make. The skills and knowledge acquired are a big plus in the market space.”
–Samson A. | Ivy Tech Grad
Featured Faculty & Staff
Leanne Short
Program Chair and Assistant Professor
Leanne Short
Program Chair and Assistant Professor
Leanne Short helped develop the Ivy Tech Optician and Eye Care program. Now, she's drawing on her own continuing education as a current student at the Indiana University School of Optometry to ensure Ivy Tech students learn the latest information and techniques.
Questions About the Program?
Future Students
If you’re not yet an Ivy Tech student, contact us at 1-888-489-5463 and we’ll be happy to help.
Current Students
Contact your academic advisor, who can answer any questions you have about the Optician & Eye Care program and your certificate and degree options.
Find Local Advising Contact Info
Don't see a nearby Advising location?
Call 1-888-489-5463 and we'll get you started.
Advising Team Ginny Leonard, Director of Academic Advising Advisor for: Exploratory/Undecided students vleonard5@ivytech.edu
Jenny Atkisson, Academic Advisor Advisor for: School of Business, Logistics and Supply Chain programs, School of Public and Social Services programs, and Psychology jatkisson3@ivytech.edu
Rose Tobin, Nursing Success Coach Advisor and Success Coach for School of Nursing programs rtobin4@ivytech.edu
Madison Advising Center
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Fax 812-265-4028
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