Minnesota Lions Children's Eye Clinic (University of Minnesota Physicians and University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital) 701 25th Ave S. Ste 300 Minneapolis, MN 55454 612-365-8365 612-365-8351 (Fax)

The Orthoptics post-baccalaureate certificate program is a vital part of the ophthalmic health care profession. This is a specialized profession, the focus of which is the evaluation and treatment of disorders of vision, eye movements, and eye alignment in children and adults. The study of orthoptics follows a logical sequence of studies vital to the understanding of the visual system. The didactic education is integrated with practical clinical experience. Orthoptists work with ophthalmologists, eye physicians and surgeons, as part of the medical team. They are employed in a variety of settings, including university and teaching hospitals, children's hospitals, and solo or multi-specialty group medical practices. An orthoptist sees a variety of patients of all ages, although due to the nature of their visual disorders, the majority of the patients are young children; some individuals with multiple health concerns are also evaluated as they commonly have ocular/binocular problems. Students who successfully complete the Orthoptics post-baccalaureate certificate are eligible to sit for the written and practical examinations, administered by the American Orthoptic Council, required for national certification.

Other requirements to be completed before admission:

All applicants must have an earned baccalaureate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.50. Applicants to the accelerated certificate also must provide confirmation of: • ophthalmic tech program completion, and • COMT/COT certification.

Each course includes 35+ clinical hours/week under supervision of a staff orthoptist/pediatric ophthalmologist.