Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Job Description

Certification in Ophthalmic Assistants

There are several benefits associated with the acquisition of formal credentials in a profession that does not require state or federal licensing. A successful completion of a national certification exam is an important step in demonstrating that an individual has the skills and knowledge to provide high quality and comprehensive care to the public. The certified ophthalmic assistant is better able to compete for jobs because they have shown that they can do the skilled work associated with eye care. Certification can help justify a more competitive compensation package, as well as result in more opportunities for career advancement, higher levels of professional satisfaction, and more.

Ophthalmic Assistants in Vision Clinic

Ophthalmic assistants are essential to any vision clinic. They are specially trained to support ophthalmologists and perform many of the tasks they do. One can get involved in the field without going to medical school.

Ophthalmic assistants can get good jobs in high-quality eye care facilities in a year. Ophthalm assistants are paid well, have good benefits and are growing in popularity. Ophthalmic assistants are not regulated by a federal or state level, but most employers will be looking to hire assistants who have a professional certification from the Joint Commission Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology.

To be successful in this field, you need a high school or general equivalency diplomand to be in good health, as well as being able to perform work duties that involve the operation of complex machinery and the moving and handling of heavy objects. Some employers require a background check and drug screen for successful applicants as they work with vulnerable patients and sensitive data. There are three levels of certification.

You need to have completed an accredited training program to be eligible for the first one. The second requires completion of an ICA-accredited training program and proof 500 hours of work experience under the supervision of an osimer. You have a year to take the exam and certify after you graduate from your training program, because the field of certified ophthalmic assisting is constantly evolving.

If you have been in training for more than a year, you will need to submit 18 credits of the JCAHPO courses in the group A category for each year since. If you have been at level A3 for more than 36 months, you need to submit 18 credits of JCAHPO Group A coursework for each subsequent year. There are four levels of COT certification, with level T1 designed for people going straight to COT from an accredited technician training program, and levels T2 and T3 for people who have at least 2,000 experience as a certified ophthalmic assistant.

JCAHPO Certification for Ophthalmic Assistants

Depending on the location of the workplace and the size of the staff, COAs can work part-time or full time. Some days of the week are more busy than others. On busy days, a COA will have to take many incoming phone calls and talk to patients at the same time.

The training program was approved by the JCAHPO. A common path is to attend an accredited school. You can get a certificate and a degree after you finish.

You can use the JCAHPO materials to complete an independent study course. It is required that you complete on-the-job training. You need at least 1,000 hours of on-the-job training within a year to get the highest certification for ophthalmic assistants.

You must complete 2,000 hours of supervised training and earn 12 JCAHPO Group A credits to get on-the-job training and study independently. Take the exam and pass it. The exam takes three hours and contains 200 questions.