Optician Training and Certification in Texas

UPDATE:A new state law, Senate Bill 202, was recently passed by the Texas Legislature. The new law becomes effective September 1, 2015. State law will no longer require a license issued by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for Opticians

To learn more about the recent legislative changes affecting opticians in Texas, please visit…

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/optician/default.shtm

Texas is one of only twenty-three states that require optician licensing by law. Rules and regulations regarding optician training requirements, licensing, and certification are established by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The following information will be relevant to you if you are wanting to be licensed as an optician in the state of Texas.

Texas State Opticianry Law:

Licensing: Chapter 140

A person may not represent to the public that the person is a “Registered Dispensing Optician” or “Registered Spectacle Dispenser” unless the person is registered as a spectacle dispensing optician. A person may not represent to the public that the person is a “Registered Contact Lens Dispenser” or “Registered Contact Lens Technician” unless the person is registered as a contact lens dispenser.


Opticianry Degree Programs:

Tyler Junior College, located in Tyler, offers a 2-year Associate in Applied Science Degree (A.A.S.) in Vision Care Technology. This program requires a minimum of 70 credit hours, with 54 of those representing major technical areas and 16 representing general academic course work. All technical courses much be completed with a grade of “C” or better. For a detailed list of program courses, click here.

State Contact Information:

Phone:          (512) 834-6661
Fax:              (512) 834-6677
E-mail:         optician@dshs.state.tx.us

Texas State SealTexas Department of State Health Services MC-1982
P.O. Box 149347
Austin , Texas 78714-9347

Web Site:   Texas State Opticians’ Registry

State Association:   Opticians Association of Texas

State Association:   Certified Opticians Association of Texas

8 Responses

  1. Jules Pawossi
    Jules Pawossi January 30, 2018 at 11:40 am | | Reply

    Please can you provide me the address of the optician schools in Texas which are official by the State of Texas
    Regards

  2. Donna Stigall
    Donna Stigall December 8, 2017 at 9:52 am | | Reply

    Is it possible to obtain a Certified assistant designation online with no previous experience in that field? Where do I obtain the lessons needed to pass an exam?
    Thanks for your direction. I need to know whom/where do begin the process and to take the exam.
    Thank you, Donna

  3. Nayab Goher
    Nayab Goher April 27, 2017 at 8:28 pm | | Reply

    I am a foreign medical doctor and have done Masters in Public Health with equivalency from HEC USA through spantran. I need a short course to work in optics for so that i can check vision (visual acuity) and can work in the field of optics

  4. Horace Nicolds
    Horace Nicolds November 28, 2015 at 6:22 pm | | Reply

    I have been an optician in Texas for 45 years. There is no mandatory license in the state of Texas, never has been. There was a voluntary registration for several years but the state has dropped that so now there is no official recognition for qualified opticians. Anyone off the street can say they are an optician and start selling glasses without any problem as far as the state is concerned, All attempts to be licensed have been un-successful. You need to correct this article.
    Horace Nicolds, BS, FNAO, ABOM, NCLEC

    1. Lucy
      Lucy May 5, 2016 at 7:34 pm | | Reply

      Horace,

      Could you please help me to become an optician? I have Masters Degree in education and after a couple years of teaching I am totally burned out and looking for new opportunities to start my own business. I want to export eyeglasses from Europe, where I am from originally, but I would have no idea how to fit prescription glass to frames. Could you please point me into the right direction? I live in TX as well.

      Thank you,
      Lucy

  5. Chris Mercado
    Chris Mercado January 18, 2014 at 3:50 pm | | Reply

    Do you have an exam schedule available?

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