Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) is a certificate course. A certified ophthalmic assistant (COA) is an entry-level ophthalmic professional who works under the supervision of an optometrist or ophthalmologist (eye doctor) to provide patient care. They also perform many of the essential duties of practice management, whether that’s updating patient records, making sure the clinic is well-stocked with necessary supplies, answering phones or making sure the website is up to date.
An ophthalmic assistant typically sees patients before the ophthalmologist, so they must prepare them for the exam by performing standard tests and taking measurements. Assistants may also prepare and disinfect the equipment that the ophthalmologist uses. Choosing this career path can immediately provide you with an entry-level position and begin an upward journey through the field of eye care.
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) Highlights
Program Full Name |
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) |
Program Level |
Certificate |
Duration of the Program |
1 year |
Examination Type |
Yearly |
Eligibility |
10th/12th |
Admission Process |
Entrance Exam and Merit Based |
Eligibility Criteria for Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA)
1. The candidate should have passed the 12th standard in any stream from a recognized board or institute.
2. A minimum aggregate score of 50% (Relaxation of 5% i.e. 45% for SC/ST/OBC candidates) at the 10+2 level.
3. Candidates awaiting their 10+2 examination results are also eligible to apply to any institution, provided they clear the eligibility criteria by the time of document verification.
4. Apart from the above all those youth of the 17-25 age group who have opted for and have been sanctioned for self-help allowance, have to compulsorily complete this training.
Admission Process
1. Basic education of 10+2 from a recognised institution with any stream with 45-50% marks.
2. Some private colleges and deemed universities perform their counselling process by conducting their university-level entrance exams.
Career after Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA)
After completion of the course, candidates gain the confidence to provide service to the optical field. Candidates also get to work with the vision-can team of the hospital consisting of preventable blindness. Various medical areas employ Ophthalmic Assistants for various job positions. The salary depends on various factors including experience, skills and job profile.
There are many job opportunities for Ophthalmic Assistant students to become eligible enough to get job opportunities in various private and public sectors in relevant sectors. Optometrists also work as post-secondary teachers, consultants in eye care departments, and research in optometry colleges. Also, they can build a career in sports vision, public health, and government and private services.
The skills measured include history taking, pupillary assessment, contact lenses, equipment maintenance and repair, lensometry, keratometry, medical ethics, legal and regulatory issues, microbiology, pharmacology, ocular motility, assisting in surgical procedures, ophthalmic patient services and education, ophthalmic imaging, refractometry, spectacle skills, supplemental skills, tonometry, visual assessment, and visual fields.