Programs

Opticians are professionals who dispense eyewear, including eyeglasses, contact lenses, low-vision aids, and accessories. 

In this program, you will learn how to: 

• Fabricate, verify, and fit and repair eyeglasses, contact lenses and other optical devices based on the written prescription of a medical doctor or doctor of optometry.
• Analyze and interpret a doctor’s prescription to determine the lenses that are best suited to the patient’s lifestyle and visual needs.
• Help patients select frames, based on size and material.
• Take measurements to insure proper lens placement in the frame and verify the accuracy of the finished product.

Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Opticianry Competency Exam administered by the American Board of Opticianry and the National Contact Lens Examination. You may also sit for state licensure exams in states where applicable. The state of Michigan does not currently require licensure or certification to practice this profession. 

Goals
The goals of the Baker College Opticianry program were developed in concert with the program’s philosophy and the mission and goals of the college and the essentials of the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation.

• To upgrade the profession of Opticianry through formal opticianry education. Adding to the profession men and women who are well qualified to interpret prescriptions, fabricate eyewear, dispense spectacles and contact lenses, communicate effectively, utilize sales techniques, and are self confident to serve the visual needs of the public. 
• To stimulate growth and development of the Opticianry student into a responsible, competent, enthusiastic, professional who maintains ethical standards, and works well with other professionals in his/her field.
• To prepare Opticianry students for successful completion of the National Opticianry Competency Examination (NOCE) spectacle examination and is given by the ABO. The Contact Lens Registry Examination (CLRE) given by NCLE for certification in contact lens dispensing.
• Eliminate hazardous waste and to reduce non-hazardous waste to the minimum levels economically and technically practical, and to be in full-compliance with all federal and state environmental regulations.
• To prepare graduates for entry-level employment in the optical field.

Enrollment for this program is limited.

Accreditation/Approval/Certification Status
External peer review is the primary means of assuring and improving the quality of higher education institutions and programs in the United States. This recognition is accomplished through program accreditation, approval or certification.

The Baker College Opticianry Program is accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation (COA).  The Commission on Opticianry Accreditation is a not-for-profit agency, which accredits formal Opticianry education in the United States 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. The COA is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

The Opticianry Program is based on a task analysis developed by the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and the National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE). These organizations are national, non-profit organizations which administer voluntary certification examinations for dispensing opticians and contact lens technicians. Their purposes are to identify qualified eye wear providers by examination, urge growth of optical skills with continuing education, and approve continuing education programs. The ABO/NCLE programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) as having met their standards for certifying agencies.