Ophthalmic Technician Program

Program Admission

Review the Health Careers Admissions Process and follow the requirements below.

Admission Requirements

Each of the following requirements MUST be completed to be considered qualified and placed on the Ophthalmic Technician qualified list.

• Maintain GPA (2.60 or higher)
• Accuplacer Next Gen (255+) Reading Score
• Eligible for placement into ENG 131
• Eligible for placement into MATH 080 OR completion of MATH 100, 101, 110 with a C grade or better
• BIO 134 with a C grade or better OR BIO 233 and BIO 234 with a C grade or better

To become qualified, you must complete all admission requirements and contact the Student Success Navigator or Health Careers Academic Adviser. Qualified students are formally admitted to the program once per year, in the fall semester, on a first-qualified first-admitted basis. Final approval to enroll in the program comes from the Ophthalmic Technician Program Director.

Required Support Courses

Students may choose to complete as many of the following support courses prior to entering the program. These courses are a part of the OPT Program.

• AH-100
• BIO-135 or BIO-251
• ENG-131
• HCS-131
• HCS-124
• PSY-131

Summary Job Profile

The following is a description of the functional abilities required of a student in the Ophthalmic Technician program at Henry Ford College. A student must be able to perform these tasks with or without “reasonable accommodation”, as outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act. A student requiring accommodation in order to perform any of these tasks should contact Assisted Learning Services.

Job Summary

The Ophthalmic Technicians are allied health professionals who perform assigned procedures under the direction or supervision of a physician licensed to practice medicine and surgery, and qualified in ophthalmology. Ophthalmic technicians provide patient care services, administer tests, document ocular measurements, and may assist in major or minor surgery of the eye.

Physical & Mental Requirements

1. Strength: Requires the ability to frequently lift and move objects more than twenty pounds and pull/push more than 100 pounds in transferring patients.
2. Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle surgical and optical instruments and equipment with precision, accuracy and speed.
3. Coordination: Requires the ability to continually perform tasks, which require eye-hand coordination such as centering mires’ patterns with fine movements of a slit lamp joystick, passing instruments during surgery, or inserting and removing a contact lens.
4. Mobility/Endurance: Requires the ability to stand for extended periods of time as observers, often in small areas. Must be able to sit and/or stand as required for the duration of a procedure in a small area up to several hours.
5. Visual Discrimination: Requires having binocular vision, full peripheral vision, depth perception, and normal color perception. Must be able to function in brightly lit or dimly lighted rooms.
6. Hearing: Requires the ability to distinguish the spoken word from a variety of background sounds, and when everyone is wearing a surgical mask.
7. Concentration: Requires the ability to constantly concentrate on moderate to fine detail with constant interruption and background noises.
8. Attention Span: Requires the ability to constantly attend to task (the procedure or process) for extended periods of time.
9. Conceptualization: Frequently needs to be able to understand and to relate to the theories behind several related concepts.
10. Memory: Requires ability to constantly remember multiple tasks/assignments given to self and others during the course of the day.
11. Communication & Interpersonal Skills

Convey information through verbal and nonverbal communication and written word. Communicate in a one-on-one setting as well as in groups. Interact effectively and appropriately with instructors, healthcare providers, peers, patients, and family to provide effective and efficient patient care.

Environmental & Working Conditions

Exposure to sharps, blood, patient secretions, bodily wastes, infectious patients, electricity, lasers, and equipment noise. Occasionally exposed to trauma, death, and patients of all ages.