Program Overview

Program Overview

The Optometric Technician program at Madison College prepares students to work under the supervision of an optometrist or ophthalmologist. The program emphasizes the unique duties required of an optometric technician to provide quality vision care services to patients.

Program Details

• Program Number:
• Your Degree: Technical Diploma
• Area of Study: Health Sciences
• Delivery Method: Some Online/Some In Person
• Estimated Time to Complete: 27 Credits | Finish diploma in 1 year
• Financial Aid Available: Yes

Tuition and Fees

• Estimated Program Cost: $4,950.91
• View Tuition and Fees: Tuition and Fees
• Financial Aid: Applying for financial aid and scholarships help you pay for your education.

Program Curriculum

First Semester

• Optical Dispensing 1 (3 credits)
• Ophthalmic Pre-Testing (3 credits)
• Basic Optical Concepts (3 credits)
• Ocular Anatomy (2 credits)
• Human Relations - Optometric Technician Program (1 credit)

Second Semester

• Optical Dispensing 2 (2 credits)
• Contact Lenses (3 credits)
• Ophthalmic Specialty Testing (3 credits)
• Patient Relations/Pract Manage (2 credits)
• Preclinical (2 credits)
• Clinical Experience (3 credits)

Admission

To Apply

• Admissions Application: The online application allows you to save your work as you complete it and ensures fast, secure delivery to our office.
• Education Completion: Official transcripts must be sent from the institutions you attended and indicate one of the following:
  • High school transcript (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
  • GED/HSED transcript
  • College transcript(s) showing:
    • Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
    • At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale
• Additional Notes:
  • Class capacity is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Course prerequisites differ from admission requirements. Admission into a program does not guarantee eligibility to enroll in courses or success in the program. Refer to program curriculum for details.

Career Outcomes

• Graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination.
• After completing the Optometric Technician program at Madison Area Technical College, you will be prepared to:
  • Perform a variety of supportive optometric procedures.
  • Demonstrate professional behaviors, ethics and appearance.
  • Assist the optometrist in the care of patients.
  • Assist patients with glasses and/or contact lenses.
  • Perform business office procedures.

Program Mission and Goals

• Program Mission: to prepare certification eligible technicians to work as members of the eye care team under the supervision of optometrists, ophthalmologists and other health care providers. To train individuals to assist in providing quality eye care to the patient.
• Program Goals:
  1. Provide relevant instruction to an optimal number of students each year in eye, vision, optical concepts, pretesting procedures, specialty testing procedures, contact lenses, optical dispensing and practice management.
  2. Prepare students as life-long learners and problem-solvers who can respond to a continually changing eye care profession.
  3. Utilize technology to deliver the program content to enhance the classroom experience for the students.
  4. Utilize technology to deliver program content to people already employed in an eye care setting.
  5. Maintain program accreditation with the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education and the Commission on Accreditation of Ophthalmic Medical Programs.

Graduate Summary

• Graduate Report Summary Overview Count
  • Number of Program Graduates: 10 (2022), 9 (2023), 17 (2024)
  • Number of Surveys Sent: 10 (2022), 9 (2023), 14 (2024)
  • Number of Surveys Returned: 5 (2022), 7 (2023), 12 (2024)
  • Percent of Surveys Returned: 50.0% (2022), 77.8% (2023), 85.7% (2024)
  • Available for Employment: 5 (2022), 7 (2023), 10 (2024)
  • Percent Available for Employment: 100.0% (2022), 100.0% (2023), 83.3% (2024)
  • Not in Labor Market: 0 (2022), 0 (2023), 2 (2024)
  • Percent Not in Labor Market: 0.0% (2022), 0.0% (2023), 16.7% (2024)

Graduate Employers

• Graduate Employers for academic year: 2024
  • Employer(s): Angela Feiler, Beloit Health & Rehabilitation Center, Christopherson Eye Clinic, Ho-Chunk Nation, Norway Eye Care
  • Job Title: Ophthalmic Assistant, Certified Ophthalmic Technician, Optometrist, Optician
  • City: Amery, Beloit, Black River Falls, Norway
  • State: WI, MI
  • Positions: 1 (Angela Feiler), 1 (Beloit Health & Rehabilitation Center), 1 (Christopherson Eye Clinic), 1 (Ho-Chunk Nation), 1 (Norway Eye Care)