January 5, 2012

A-B Tech's Ophthalmic Assisting class, offered through the College's Health Occupations department,will start a new session at the end of February. An information session about the class will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17 in the Haynes Building, Room 501, at the College's Enka site.

Ophthalmic Assistants work with doctors who specialize in the anatomy, function and diseases of the eye. The position is ideal for those who enjoy working in a professional environment with dedicated physicians. The ideal candidates will have a commitment to helping people, the ability to handle several responsibilities at once, adequate hearing and vision to perform clinical duties, and health science, math and computer skills.

A typical day in the life of an ophthalmic assistant may include taking patient medical histories; instructing patients about medications, tests and procedures; performing various vision and diagnostic tests; assisting with patient procedures and coordinating scheduling.

Between 2008 and 2018, the need for ophthalmic assistants is expected to grow by 34 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Technological advances in medicine will increase the number of procedures that can be performed, which will increase the need for assistants.

The full program is a two-course series taught by a certified ophthalmic medical technologist and supervised by board-certified ophthalmologists. Students must successfully complete both lecture and clinical to complete the program. Upon completion, students will be eligible to take the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant exam.For more information, calll 254-1921, ext. 878 or 332, or e-mail clang@abtech.edu.