Ophthalmic Design & Dispensing Degree

Learn About the Ophthalmic Design & Dispensing Program at Middlesex Community College

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You have solid math and problem solving skills, love to help others and enjoy hands-on work. You would like to work in a medical-related field, but without the time and financial commitments in getting a PhD. Middlesex Community College has an affordable and flexible solution to meet your needs. Get started with an Associate Degree in Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing from Middlesex Community College today! This two-year degree program prepares students for future work as licensed opticians working to help others through the design and dispensing of eyeglasses, contact lenses and low-vision aids.

Associate in Science Degree

This program is designed for individuals who are interested in becoming licensed opticians. Successful completion of this program will be accepted in lieu of the four-year, 8000-hour apprenticeship requirement to become a licensed optician.

Enrollment in the program is restricted because of limited lab facilities, and early application is encouraged. Only completed applications with all documents will be considered. Students are admitted to the fall term only. Students must take the placement test and place into ENG*101 Composition and MAT*137 to be eligible for this program. Official transcripts are required for transfer credit.

Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing students must receive a grade of C or better in Ophthalmic Dispensing courses in order to obtain a degree in this program.

Accreditation

The Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing Program is accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation, PO Box 592, Canton, NY 13617.

Graduation Year	Graduating Percent	Graduating Numbers
2018 Students	95%	18 graduates out of 19 total students
2019 Students	80%	12 graduates out of 15 total students
2020 Students	73.3%	11 graduates out of 15 total students

American Board of Opticianry (ABO) Pass Rates

Class	Sitting for Exam	Passing	Percent Passing
2018	18	18	100%
2019	12	12	100%
2020	11	11	100%

National Contact Lens Registry Examination (NCLE) Pass Rates

Class	Sitting for Exam	Passing	Percent Passing
2018	18	18	100%
2019	12	12	100%
2020	11	11	100%

State Board of Opticianry Licensure Examination (ABO and NCLE certifications are required)

Class	Sitting for Exam	Passing	Percent Passing
2018	CT 18	8	44%
2019	CT 12 MA 3 Overall 12	8 3 10	66% CT 100% MA 83.3% Overall
2020	11	11	100%

Students Employed in the Vision Care Field

2018 100% (18 out of 18 total students employed)
2019 100% (12 out of 12 total students employed)
2020 100% (11 out of 11 total students employed)

Program Accreditation Status

The Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing Program has been accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation since 1990.

The Commission on Opticianry Accreditation (COA), a not-for-profit agency, accredits Opticianry education in the United States.

The mission of the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation is to foster excellence in opticianry education 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.

Scope of accreditation: COA accredits two-year Opticianry degree programs and one-year ophthalmic laboratory technology certificate programs in the United States and Canada that are sponsored by post-secondary institutions accredited by agencies recognized by the Department of Education or CHEA.

Recognition: The COA is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA, https://www.chea.org/).

Commission on Opticianry Accreditation
PO Box 592
Canton NY, 13617
http://www.coaccreditation.com/

NC-SARA Logo Per Federal Regulation, 34 CFR 668.43-Institutional Disclosure for Licensure Program; this program has a Positive Licensure Determination for the State of CT. If you are interested in applying this program outside the State of CT, please check current licensure agreement with your state.

For the Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing Program; positive licensure determination for the State of Connecticut. No licensure determination for all states except Connecticut.

Contact

Dr. Aarlan Aceto

Associate Professor & Program Coordinator of Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing
Phone: 860-343-5845
Email: aaceto@mxcc.edu
Office Location: Chapman Hall, Room 625

Student Spotlight

“YOUNG OPTOMETRIST OF THE YEAR”

PROGRAM REVIEW

Students should meet with a Guided Pathways Advisor/Faculty Advisor to review graduation requirements and plan for future semesters by logging into MyCommnet and clicking on Degree Works.

Ophthalmic Design & Dispensing Degree Requirements by Semester

First Semester (Fall)		14 Credits	Advising Notes
ENG101, Composition (or ENG101E or ENG*101-ALP)	General Education Requirement: Written Communication	3	SAT, ACT, or Placement Test may be required
MAT*137, Intermediate Algebra (or higher, depending on placement)	Gen Ed for Career Programs: Quantitative Reasoning	3	SAT, ACT, or Placement Test may be required
ODD*101, Introduction to Ophthalmic Dispensing	Program Requirement	4	You must pass this class with a "C" or better to continue into the next semester's courses
BIO*118, Anatomy & Physiology of the Eye	General Education Requirement: Scientific Knowledge & Understanding OR Scientific Reasoning	4	You must pass this class with a "C" or better to continue into the next semester's courses
Second Semester (Spring)		17 Credits
BMG*202, Principles of Management	Program Requirement	3
COM*173, Public Speaking	General Education Requirement (1 of 2): One course selected from any of these competencies: Aesthetic Dimensions, Historical Knowledge, Oral Communication, Social Phenomena, or Written Communication	3
ODD*102, Ophthalmic Dispensing I	Program Requirement	4	Prerequisite: ODD*101 with a "C" or better You must pass this class with a "C" or better to continue into the next semester's courses
ODD*110, Ophthalmic Materials I	Program Requirement	4	Prerequisite: ODD*101 with a "C" or better
ODD*120, Contact Lenses I	Program Requirement	3	Prerequisite: BIO*118 with a "C" or better
Summer Semester		6 Credits
ODD*109, Optical Business Management	Program Requirement	3
ODD*130, Low Vision	Program Requirement	1
ODD*299, Opticianry Practicum	Program Requirement	2
Third Semester (Fall)		14 Credits
General Education Requirement: Social Phenomena Elective		3
ODD*103, Ophthalmic Dispensing II	Program Requirement	3	Prerequisite: ODD*102 with a "C" or better You must pass this class with a "C" or better to continue into the next semester's courses
ODD*111, Ophthalmic Materials II	Program Requirement	4
ODD*121, Contact Lenses II	Program Requirement	4
Fourth Semester (Spring) - 17 credits		17 Credits
General Education Requirement: Aesthetic Dimensions Elective		3
PSY*111, General Psychology I	General Education Requirement (2 of 2): One course selected from any of these competencies: Aesthetic Dimensions, Historical Knowledge, Oral Communication, Social Phenomena, or Written Communication	3
ODD*104, Ophthalmic Dispensing III	Program Requirement	3	Prerequisite: ODD*103 with a grade of “C” or better
ODD*112, Ophthalmic Materials III	Program Requirement	4
ODD*122, Contact Lenses III	Program Requirement	4
Total Program Credits:		68

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates will be able to:

Communicate effectively through development of proficiency in oral/written/electronic communication skills
Demonstrate proficiency in critical thinking and problem solving skills
Complete the requirements for National Certification by the American Board of Opticianry
Complete the requirements for National Certification by the National Contact Lens Examiners
Demonstrate the practical skills required to successfully complete the optical portion of the State of Connecticut – Board of Examiners State Practical Exam
Demonstrate the practical skills required to successfully complete the contact lens portion of the State of Connecticut – Board of Examiners State Practical Exam
Demonstrate familiarity with the statutes and regulations in Chapter 381 (Opticians) of the Connecticut General Statutes and Regulations and successfully complete the State Law portion of the State of Connecticut – Board of Examiners State Practical Exam
Meet the minimum education requirement for licensing as an optician in all of the states requiring licensure for opticians

JOBS YOU CAN GET WITH AN OD&D DEGREE:

With an OD&D Degree from MxCC, a student can get work in an optical shop, corporate optical business, private Optometrist’s office, or a private Ophthalmologist’s office.

HOW LONG WILL YOU HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL?

Most students are able to finish the program within 21 months or 2-calendar years.  Further education is only necessary if you want to progress to management positions, in which case a bachelor’s degree is necessary. Many students get a bachelor’s degree in business rather than optometry. MxCC has an unofficial arrangement with Charter Oak state college to get Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in Optical Business Management. A small percent of students choose to continue their education to become Optometrists and Ophthalmologists, both of which require Doctoral level degrees.

JOB AVAILABILITY & GROWTH:

Spurred by the demographic of the baby boomers and the elderly, an increasing demand for eyewear and contact lenses should be good for the optician. As the aging population continues to grow, more demand will be created foe corrective lenses and a requirement for regular vision care. Fashion will also continue to drive the demand for dispensing opticians. As ophthalmic and contact technology continues to develop the demand for the services of opticians will increase.

August 2019: 100% of our graduates who responded to our recent survey are employed in the opticianry profession.

Note About Financial Aid
Federal regulations stipulate that a student may only receive financial aid for courses that count towards their degree/certificate. To comply with this regulation, MxCC must track the courses that a student is registered for that count towards their degree/certificate program. Courses identified as not meeting program requirements will not be included in the calculation of financial aid eligibility. Pre requisites will be covered. This procedure is now in effect. Eligibility ceases once a student attempts 90 credits for a typical 60 credit program.

Becoming Connecticut State Community College
STUDENTS: The Community Colleges are undergoing a merger with a plan to become Connecticut State Community College in fall 2023; please work closely with your advisor/program coordinator to select your courses accordingly. Click here for more details about this merger.

Associate in Science Degree

Accreditation

American Board of Opticianry (ABO) Pass Rates

National Contact Lens Registry Examination (NCLE) Pass Rates

State Board of Opticianry Licensure Examination (ABO and NCLE certifications are required)

Students Employed in the Vision Care Field

Contact

Dr. Aarlan Aceto

Student Spotlight

“YOUNG OPTOMETRIST OF THE YEAR”

PROGRAM REVIEW

Ophthalmic Design & Dispensing Degree Requirements by Semester

First Semester (Fall)

14 Credits

Advising Notes

Second Semester (Spring)

17 Credits

Summer Semester

6 Credits

Third Semester (Fall)

14 Credits

17 Credits

Total Program Credits:

68

Learning Outcomes

JOBS YOU CAN GET WITH AN OD&D DEGREE:

HOW LONG WILL YOU HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL?

JOB AVAILABILITY & GROWTH:

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