Clinical Skills Certificate Course:

Clinical Optics

Course level:

This course is intended for ophthalmic assistants, technicians and technologists.

Course structure:

This course consists of short, illustrated reading segments. There is a quiz at the end of the course. Upon passing the quiz, the user will receive a certificate of completion.

Estimated time to complete:

Two hours.

Short Course Description:

This course on clinical optics discusses physical, geometric, and physiologic optics. Included are discussions of lens aberrations, base curve, optical center, lens design, slab-off, optical measurements, calculations, adjustments, and formulae.

For the Detailed Course Description, see below

The course can be purchased via Paypal (you don't need a Paypal account) by using the button below, $10 for 2 months access. More than one course can be purchased at the same time by going to the course catalog. Courses can also be purchased via Authorize.net from the course catalog.

After purchase, the course can be accessed immediately by using the "courses" tab on the top menu bar to link to your "my courses" page.

Detailed Course Description

Physical and Geometric Optics

Physical Optics
Geometric Optics
   Refraction
   Reflection
   Prisms
   Spherical lenses
   Induced prism

Physiologic Optics

A compound lens system
Spherical refractive errors
Astigmatism and cylindrical corrections
The optical protractor
Lens power notations
The optical cross
Types of astigmatism
Aspheric lenses
The pupil
Image Size
Apparent motion
Neutralizing a lens with trial lenses
Compounding and canceling prism

Lens Aberrations

Spherical Aberration
Distortion
Curvature of Field
Marginal Astigmatism
Coma
Chromatic Aberration
Magnification and Minification
Corrective Curve Theory
Conclusions

Base Curve

Definition and description with examples
How to measure the base curve

The Optical Center

Definition and description with examples
Finding the optical center of a progressive lens
Optical center decentration
   Prismatic effect produced
   The effect of cylinder power on the prism calculation
Generalizations

Lens Designs

Lens thickness
Lens size
Lens decentration
Lens shape
Lens style
Lens weight
Lens materials

The Slab Off Lens Design

Description and use
Induced prism
Figuring the power of the lens in the 90 degree meridian
How a slab-off works
Alternatives to a slab-off
The slab-off calculation
   A quick estimation technique

Optical Measurements, Calculations, Adjustments, and Formulae

PD
Frame PD and Lens Decentration
The Spherical Equivalent
Transposition
The Axis Cross and the Power Cross
Focal Length and Diopter Power
Vertex Distance
Focal Distance for Non-parallel Light
The Prism Diopter
Induced Prism
Converting K Readings to Cyl Correction
Radius of Curvature and Diopters
Base Curve and Ocular Curve