[John Godert] The Ophthalmic Dispensing program prepares students to become license professionals who dispense eyeglasses and contact lenses to patients from prescriptions written by eye doctors.  

[John Godert] The Ophthalmic Dispensing program is one of four approved optical programs in New York State.  As an approved program, graduates are eligible to sit for New York State Ophthalmic dispensing and contact lens exams. Our program is nationally accredited by the commission on Opticianry Accreditation and also a member of the national Federation of Opticianry schools.  

[John Godert] All new Ophthalmic dispensing students must meet the college admissions criteria.  Applicants should have at least a 75% high school average and transfer students must have an overall QPA of 2 point zero to gain admittance to the program.  

[John Godert] The program provides the necessary theoretical and practical training to enable students to meet national certification criteria and to pass New York State licensing exams.  

[John Godert] Classroom lecture and laboratory training involves the careful selection, measuring and fitting of lenses and frames unique to each patient.  

[John Godert] Ophthalmic assisting laboratory includes diagnostic and visual screening auto refraction, tonometry and visual field testing. 

[John Godert]  In the contact lens laboratory, students will use state-of-the-art instruments and evaluation techniques to design and dispense contact lens to each patient.  

[Kathleen Sweet] The first thing that you are going to do, when we turn this on …

[John Godert] Our smaller laboratory sizes provide an excellent student - faculty ratio of about 12 to one, which allows students to practice the various clinical skills needed to perform well in the New York State practical licensing exam.  

[John Godert] To complement classroom and laboratory training our second year students participate in multiple clinical externship opportunities throughout the Western New York area.  During each externship, students gain hands-on experience in a unique clinical setting.  

[John Godert] Students will have an additional opportunity to gain clinical experience through participation in the community eye clinic located at our city campus.  The clinic provides eye examinations and prescription eyeglasses to patients in need in our community.  Our patients include children and adults, some of whom are disabled.  Our students find their participation at the clinic to be a meaningful and rewarding learning experience.  

[Kathleen Sweet] I can bend it without bending the soldered area, so that’s a good job.

[John Godert] The job prospects for ophthalmic dispensers are excellent.  With the increase of the nation's population and the aging of the baby boom generation, the demand for Ophthalmic dispensing services has risen.  The demand exists in private practice, health maintenance organizations, national optical chains, optometric and medical centers throughout the country.  

[John Godert] In addition, a number of our graduates continue their education to become doctors of optometry or pursue bachelor's degrees in business or marketing.  

[John Godert] It is highly recommended that students interested in ophthalmic dispensing enjoy working with others.  While the responsibilities of an Ophthalmic Dispenser include many laboratory and technical skills, a significant part of a practitioner's day is interacting with patients.  Strong communication and interpersonal skills are important in this profession.  

[John Godert] In two short years our students gain the necessary clinical and interpersonal skills to become an integral part of the vision care team.