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.
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.