Continuing Education

Optical Sciences - Ophthalmic Assistant

Work towards a fulfilling eyecare career

Our non-credit Ophthalmic Assistant Certificate program offers what you need to work as an ophthalmic assistant in a private ophthalmologist's or optometrist's office, clinic, or hospital.

This 6-month program will introduce you to ophthalmic theory, walk you through patient pretest practices, show you ophthalmic equipment, and provide the skills and confidence you will need to offer exceptional customer service.

To better fit your schedule, this program is offered online.

Access your course material at your own pace using Moodle, our online eLearning system, from the comfort of your own home, office, or local coffee shop.

Courses

Quick Facts

Credential: Certificate Achievement

An approved non-credit program that has a formal summative assessment component, has mappped program or course outcomes, and is subject to a regular quality curriculum review process.

Campus: Main

Any in-person components of your courses will be delivered at NAIT's Main Campus in Edmonton. View map

Delivery Modes:

    Delivery Times:

      Hands-on, industry-relevant skills

      Our program is divided into ten parts; each offers a different educational outcome. After each outcome, you must complete an online assessment that will test your understanding of key terms, topics and learning objectives. The outcomes include:

      • medical terminology, history-taking and triage
      • vision and pupil assessments
      • ocular anatomy, physiology, and motility
      • ophthalmic patient services and education
      • procedures for ophthalmic assessments
      • keratometry, lensometry and contact lenses
      • tonometry, and equipment maintenance and repair
      • refractometry and spectacle skills
      • explaining medications to patients
      • explaining surgical procedures

      Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a NAIT Continuing Education Certificate recognizing your achievement.

      Your classes on your schedule

      To better fit your schedule, this program is offered online.

      Access your course material at your own pace using Moodle, our online eLearning system, from the comfort of your own home, office, or local coffee shop.

      Enter the workforce with confidence

      Successful completion of this program will prepare you for a career in the eye care profession as an ophthalmic assistant.

      Ophthalmologists are medical doctors specially trained to diagnose and treat health issues relating to the eye. In addition to offering vision care, which includes vision testing, ophthalmologists are licensed to practice medicine and surgery. They often specialize in practicing medicine for a specific part of the eye, such as the retina or cornea, as well as eye health areas such as pediatrics, neurology, or disease.

      Ophthalmic assistants are responsible for patient pretesting, which often includes visual acuity, tonometry, conducting diagnostic tests and maintaining ophthalmic equipment. They may also be tasked with office administrative duties, such as scheduling, filing, and providing exceptional customer service to ophthalmology patients.

      Frequently Asked Questions

      Registration

      Funding Options

      Courses, certificates and transfer credits

      Technology Requirements

      Delivery Methods

      • Face to Face: Where: In-person meetings. When: Course is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. Face-to-face instruction at all class meetings. Location may be on campus or at a worksite.
      • Blended: Where: Mixture of in-person & online components. When: Course is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. Combination of face-to-face and online components at specific times. Some online components may be accessed online anytime.
      • Hyflex: Where: Choice to attend in-person or online meetings. When: Course is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. For each class, students choose to attend in-person with the instructor or online at a specific time.
      • Remote Live Delivery: Where: Online with instructor. When: Course is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. Instruction is delivered at set times online. Students do not come to campus.
      • Remote On-Demand Delivery: Where: Online anytime. When: No set class meetings. Coursework is accessed on-demand and online. While there are no set class meetings, there may be set due dates and deadlines for some activities. Students may interact with peers through virtual tools.
      • Remote Independent: Where: Online anytime. When: No set class meetings. Coursework is accessed on-demand and online, with no instructor support. While students choose when to do coursework, there may be set due dates and deadlines. 
      • Work Placement: Where: In-person meetings. When: Work is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. Onsite work integrated learning. Location at a worksite.
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