Description:

*This course is designed to prepare students for the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) which leads to national certification.

This 50-hour Ophthalmic Assistant Program prepares the student for entry-level positions in one of the fastest-growing healthcare fields. With the increase in laser surgery and the overall technological advances in eye care, the need for Ophthalmic Assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2024.

Ophthalmic assistants work directly with patients, greeting them and documenting their medical histories alongside a number of ophthalmic-specific functions. This Ophthalmic Assistant program will train students to work with Ophthalmologists, administering routine eye exams, and providing patient education.


Details:


  • Medical Terminology, Anatomy and physiology, Pharmacology & Microbiology of the eye
  • Scheduling appointments
  • Obtaining consents and insurance information
  • Maintaining records
  • Preliminary examinations
  • Understanding ophthalmic equipment
  • Facts about glasses and contact lenses
  • Visual fields, ocular injuries and common eye/retinal disorders
  • Asepsis technique and minor office surgery
  • Glaucoma
  • Topical; prescriptions written for the eye
  • Visual acuity; near and distance
  • Laser in ophthalmology
  • Computerized corneal tonometry & refractive surgery
  • Maintaining surgical and other supplies
  • Taking patients' medical histories and ethics
  • Teaching patients about procedures
  • Review of maintaining, sterilizing, and setting up instruments for surgery
  • Assisting with surgery and patient monitoring
  • Applying medications and eye dressings

In addition to entry-level administrative positions, this course is ideal for students interested in the ophthalmic assisting field and looking to pursue a formal ophthalmic assisting program.

Students must have or plan to receive a high school diploma or GED. Participants must also possess a minimum of 10th-grade math and reading skills.


Note: Participants must be at least 18 years old to sit for the national certification exam after completing this course.

The potential certification listed below is for reference purposes only and is not included in the course fee.

Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA)
Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) which leads to National Certification.

TBD

TBD

Note: If you are applying for the Continuing Education Private Loan to cover the registration fee for a non-credit continuing education program, then please use the UTRGV Continuing Education School Code: 003599. The loan amount you note in the application cannot exceed the open enrollment fee noted on our website. The minimum for the loans must be $500.00. Some service charges may apply.
Please email continuinged@utrgv.edu once you have been approved by your loan provider so we may certify your loan.

Private Loans

 



Edinburg Course Information

Days:


Dates:
TBA

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Cost:

Edinburg Course Information

Brownsville Course Information

Days:
Mondays & Wednesdays

Dates:
April 18 - June 8, 2022

Times:
6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Format:
In-Class

Location:
Lectures & Labs:
Brownsville St. Joseph Academy

Instructor:
TBD

Cost:
$ 1,099

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