What is an optician?

conducts program evaluation, and publishes a list of accredited programs that meet the national accreditation standards. Simply stated, accreditation is recognition by a body that a program has voluntarily undergone a comprehensive study which has demonstrated that the school has set appropriate educational objectives for students who enroll; that the school does in fact perform the functions that it claims; and that the school furnishes materials and services that enable students to meet those stated objectives.

Historically, accreditation may be said to:

• Foster excellence in education through the development of standards for assessing educational effectiveness. • Encourage improvement through continuous evaluation and planning. • Assure the educational community, the general public, and other agencies or organizations that an institution has clearly defined and appropriate objectives, maintains conditions under which their achievement can be reasonably expected, appears in fact to be accomplishing them, and can be expected to continue to do so.

Some of the major benefits of accreditation for Vision Care programs are the following:

• Counselors, employers, educators, federal and state government officials (including state licensing boards), and professional associations rely on the accredited status of the program as an index of the quality of graduates. • Accreditation constitutes an expression of confidence in the policies and procedures of the accredited program. • The accreditation process involves an external source of stimulation to improve the overall quality of the program through the use of the Self Study Report and through periodic evaluation by an outside agency.

COA Contact Information:

Commission on Opticianry Accreditation PO Box 592 Canton, NY 13617 director@COAccreditation.com 703 468-0566 voice 888 306-9036 fax

What is an Optician?

Although technically referred to as an Ophthalmic Dispenser, an Optician is part of the three O's of vision care. Along with Ophthalmologist and Optometrist, who write prescriptions for corrective eyewear, an Optician provides the necessary services for proper vision care. In New York State, as in many other states, an Optician is a licensed professional. After successfully completing national and state generated examinations, an Optician is permitted to dispense eyeglasses and contact lenses in accordance with an Ophthalmologist's or Optometrist's prescription.

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