Step into a rewarding career that helps people see the world clearly! Our Vision Care
Technology Program prepares you to become an essential part of the eye care team,
combining science, precision, and compassion to make a real difference in people’s
lives. Learn how to design, fit, and adjust eyeglasses and contact lenses, assist
in vision testing, and understand the tools and technology used by eye care professionals.
You’ll gain hands-on experience working with optical instruments and learning how
vision correction improves health and quality of life.
As demand for eye care continues to grow, vision care professionals are needed in
clinics, optical labs, and retail settings around the world. If you enjoy working
with people, solving problems, and using technology to improve lives, this program
offers a clear path to a meaningful and stable career.
Program Stats
98%
Employment Rate Before Graduation
100%
ABO Basic Certification Exam Pass Rate
100%
NYS Board Exam Pass Rate
Campus: North
Math II General Science
Applicant must be a high school graduate.
Advance transfer credit for general education or professional courses in which a "C"
or above was earned may be arranged when course descriptions match ECC courses.
In addition to tuition, students will be responsible for paying for a set of ophthalmic
tools, a lab coat, liability insurance, and a name tag for use in off-campus clinical
work.
Students are responsible for providing transportation to off-campus fieldwork sites
utilized for the general dispensing practice course.
Exceptions to the above criteria may be made for returning adult students and for
those currently working in the field.
SUNY Erie Community College Vision Care Technology and its program of study meets
the educational requirements by the Board of Regents in New York State to award an
Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS) with a major in Ophthalmic Dispensing and
Contact lens Fitting. Graduates are eligible to take the NYS Ophthalmic Dispensing
and Contact Lens Licensing Exams. Other states may have different educational requirements
for program completion and licensure requirements. SUNY Erie Vision Care Technology
has made no determination of whether the curriculum meets the educational requirements
for professional optical licensure in states other than in New York. If seeking licensure
in a state other than New York, please review the requirement of that State’s Board
of Opticianry. To search a particular State’s Opticianry Licensing Board, please visit
the American Board of Opticianry website.
Program Outcomes The following tables indicate how many SUNY Erie Vision Care Technology students graduated,
passed board exams since 2019 and found related jobs or continued their education.
Employment Rate
Year
SUNY Erie Pass Rate
2025
87%
2024
82%
2023
75%
2022
75%
2021
87%
American Board of Opticianry National Certification
Year
SUNY Erie Pass Rate
2025
100%
2024
100%
2023
87.5%
2022
100%
2021
100%
National Contact Lens Exam National Certification
Year
SUNY Erie Pass Rate
2025
75%
2024
50%
2023
100%
2022
100%
2021
100%
ABO Practical (NYS License)
Year
SUNY Erie Pass Rate
2025
100%
2024
81.9%
2023
100%
2022
81.9%
2021
90.9%
Commission on Opticianry Accreditation 229 East 85th Street #194 New York, NY 10028 director@COAccreditation.com Voice: 315-742-8066
