R State Standard £ Institutionally Developed College: N/A

OPD 101 – Introduction to Ophthalmic Optics

Course Description

Introduces students to the eye-care field and the profession of Opticianry. Emphasis is placed on the scope of activities performed by opticians. Topics include: scope and practice of a licensed optician; eye-care professions; major divisions of Opticianry; basic ocular anatomy; light and refraction; vision problems; corrective lenses; and national and state regulations.

Competency Areas	Hours
Eye-Care Professions	Class	5
Major Divisions of Opticianry	D. Lab	0
Basic Ocular Anatomy	P. Lab/O.B.I.	0
Light and Refraction	Credit	5
Vision Problems
Corrective Lenses
National and State Regulations
Scope and Practice of a Licensed Optician

Prerequisite:	Provisional admission
Corequisite:

Course Guide

Competency	After completing this section, the student will be able to:	Hours
Competency		Class	D.Lab	P.Lab/ O.B.I.
Eye-Care Professions		5	0	0
Professional titles	Name the three professions which begin with the letter "O" that relate to care of the eyes.
	Define optician.
	Define ophthalmologist.
	Define optometrist.
	Distinguish the difference between the fields of ophthalmology, optometry, and opticianry.
Major Divisions of Opticianry		5	0	0
Characteristics	Compare the differences and similarities among the three major divisions of the opticianry field.
	Describe employment opportunities for the three major divisions of the opticianry field
	Name several professional organizations within the ophthalmic field.
Ophthalmic laboratory	Describe the services provided by an ophthalmic laboratory.
	Name the equipment used to measure the power of a lens.
	Name the equipment used in surfacing lenses.
	Name the equipment used to finish lenses.
Optician's office	Describe the setting of a typical optician's office.
Basic Ocular Anatomy		10	0	0
Terminology	Name the external parts of the eye.
	Name the internal parts of the eye.
Function of parts	Describe the function of the external parts.
	Describe the function of the internal parts.
Light perception	Describe how the amount of light entering the eye is controlled.
Focusing	Describe the means used by the eye to focus an image on the retina.
Aberrations	Describe the abnormal conditions which prevent precise image formation.
Light and Refraction		6	0	0
Terminology	Name the external parts of the eye.
	Name the internal parts of the eye.
Function of parts	Describe the function of the external parts.
	Describe the function of the internal parts.
Light perception	Describe how the amount of light entering the eye is controlled.
Focusing	Describe the means used by the eye to focus an image on the retina.
Aberrations	Describe the abnormal conditions which prevent precise image formation.
Vision Problems		8	0	0
Terminology	Name the terms used to identify vision problems.
Categories	Describe vision problems associated with eyeball abnormalities.
	Describe vision problems associated with muscle imbalance
	Describe vision problems associated with eye diseases.
	Describe vision problems due to aging.
Corrective Lenses		6	0	0
Characteristics	Define the terms plus and minus as they refer to corrective lenses.
	Define the terms spherical, compounds, and prism as applied to corrective lenses.
National and State Regulations		5	0	0
National	Identify national agencies involved with federal regulations.
	Discuss the role national agencies involved with maintaining regulations in the Optician’s office.
State	Identify state agencies involved with regulations.
	Discuss the role of state agencies involved with regulations.
Scope and Practice of a Licensed Optician		5	0	0
	Define the scope and practice of a licensed optician.

Suggested Resources

Books

American Optical. (1979). Basic optical concepts: A course in programmed instruction. Southbridge, MA: Author.

American Optical. (1979). The human eye. Southbridge, MA: Author.

American Optical. (1979). Lenses, prisms, and mirrors. Southbridge, MA: Author.

American Optical. (1979). Normal and abnormal vision. Southbridge, MA: Author.

Opticians Assn of America and Guild of Prescription Opticians of America. (1988). Professional dispensing for opticianry. Fairfax, VA: Professional Press.

Stein & Slatt. (1988). Ophthalmic assistant: Fundamentals and clinical practice (5th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby.

Stein, H. A., et al. (1991). Ophthalmic terminology: Speller and vocabulary builder (2nd ed.). St. Louis: Mosby.

Audiovisuals

The following title(s) format(s) are available from:

John-Rudolph Educational Resources

A/V Distribution Center

1027 Broadway

Bowling Green, KY 42104-9941

Optometry/VHS, 15 minutes (1988)

National Academy of Opticianry

10111 Martin Luther King, Jr. Hwy., Suite 112

Bowie, MD 20720-4299

Intermediate Dispensing Skills Series/VCR tapes (1989)

"Light, Nanometers, and the Spectrum," (IDS-1)

"Reflection and Refraction of Light Rays," (IDS-2)

Curriculum Materials

National Academy of Opticianry. Career progression program (Vols. 1 - 4). Bowie, MD.

National Academy of Opticianry. Continuing education courses. Bowie, MD.

Models and Charts

The following items are available from:

Armstrong Medical Industries, Inc.

P. O. Box 9069

Marietta, GA 30065

Models:

Eyeball, Part of Orbit (X3)

Eyeball (X4)

Eyeball (X5) with eyelids

Eyeball (X5) without eyelids

Charts:

Eye and Vision

Head, Neck, Throat, and Skin

D.Lab

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Books