Passing the COA exam earns you $6,000 extra per year

The 2019 ATPO survey showed a $6,000 gap between non-certified techs ($41k) and COA® holders ($47k), while the more robust 2020 JCAHPO survey found an even larger $8,000 difference—a 15–18% premium!

Certified technicians are more likely to land full-time salaried positions with benefits; they get hired faster, promoted sooner, and trusted with more responsibility.

But studying for the COA®, COT®, or COMT® exam on your own is overwhelming. The content is vast, the terminology is dense, and most study resources are outdated text dumps with no guidance.

That's why we built something different.

Course Curriculum

21 Lessons, 21 Quizzes & 15 Handouts

    1. Module 1: History Taking

    2. History Taking Quiz

    3. Module 2: Visual Assessment

    4. Visual Assessment Quiz

    5. Module 3: Visual Fields

    6. Visual Fields Quiz

    7. Module 4: Pupillary Assessment

    8. Pupillary Assessment Quiz

    9. Module 5: Tonometry

    10. Tonometry Quiz

    11. Module 6: Keratometry

    12. Keratometry Quiz

    13. Module 7: Ocular Motility

    14. Ocular Motility Quiz

    15. Module 8: Lensometry

    16. Lensometry Quiz

    17. Module 9: Refractometry: Retinoscopy & Refinement

    18. Refractometry: Retinoscopy & Refinement Quiz

    19. Module 10: Biometry

    20. Biometry Quiz

    21. Module 11: Supplemental Testing

    22. Supplemental Testing Quiz

    23. Module 12: Microbiology

    24. Microbiology Quiz

    25. Module 13: Pharmacology

    26. Pharmacology Quiz

    27. Module 14: Surgical Assisting

    28. Surgical Assisting Quiz

    29. Module 15: Ophthalmic Patient Services & Education

    30. Ophthalmic Patient Services & Education Quiz

    31. Module 16: Corrective Lenses

    32. Corrective Lenses Quiz

    33. Module 17: Imaging

    34. Imaging Quiz

    35. Module 18: Photography & Videography

    36. Photography & Videography Quiz

    37. Module 19: Office Responsibilities - Equipment Maintenance and Repair

    38. Office Responsibilities and Equipment Maintenance and Repair

    39. Module 20: Office Responsibilities - Medical Ethics, Legal & Regulatory

    40. Office Responsibilities: Medical Ethics, Legal & Regulatory Quiz

    41. Module 21: Testing Info, Tips and Tutoring

    42. Course Evaluation Form

    43. Handout - Cleaning and Disinfecting a Tonometer Prism

    44. Handout - Cover Uncover Test Flow Chart

    45. Handout - Functions of the Extra Ocular Muscles

    46. Handout - Dilating Drops

    47. Handout - How to Check Pupils

    48. Handout - How to Clean Phoropter Lenses

    49. Handout - Ophthalmic Photography Artifacts

    50. Handout - Pupil Characteristics

    51. Handout - Refracting Step by Step Cheat Sheet - Minus Cyl

    52. Handout - Refracting Step by Step Cheat Sheet - Plus Cyl

    53. Handout - Plus Cylinder Retinoscopy Step by Step

    54. Handout - Triage of Eye Emergencies

    55. Handout - Visual Field and Technician Instructions

    56. Ophthalmic Terms and Abbreviations

COA Exam Prep Course

  • $195.00
  • 180 days' access
  • Course completion certificate

Why Thousands of Techs Trust EyeTechTraining

  • Narrated Video Lessons

    Every lesson is taught by Sharon Alamalhodaei, COMT—not just a bunch of text from a faceless website. You hear the explanations, the clinical pearls, and exam tips straight from a master in the field.

  • 1-on-1 Tutoring with Sharon Available for Purchase

    Stuck on refraction? Confused by motility? Buy optional 1-on-1 tutoring with Sharon Alamalhodaei, COMT, who has helped thousands pass this exam.

  • Practice Questions & Quizzes

    Every module includes quizzes that are similar to the exam format. Our COT® course alone has 175 practice questions.

  • The Eye Tech Training Community

    All course participants get access to our private community of other eyetechs and opthalmic managers.

  • Access on Your Computer or Smartphone

    Want to listen on the go? You can access the course on your smartphone

  • Coming Soon!

    Timed Practice Exams

What Our Students Say

“What typically took us 4 weeks to get someone solo on the floor was cut to 5 days of training, and they're doing great.”

Daniel Poe

“Your program has increased our techs' efficiencies and skill levels.”

Tanya Concha, Practice Administrator, Gulf Coast Eye Care

“Everything is so together — videos to watch, handouts to look over, tests to verify. It has made such a tremendous difference.”

Tami Sotorske, Practice Administrator, Henry Eye Clinic

“We have been utilizing your tech training program for several months and it has made such a tremendous difference in the efficiency of both new and existing techs.”

Ashley Flynn, COT, ROUB, OSC; Clinical Manager, West Virginia Eye Consultants

“She teaches her classes with enthusiasm and shares her experience and knowledge in such a way that keeps her students engaged. She is an excellent teacher who is very easy to follow.”

COT Exam Prep Student

Meet Your Instructor

Sharon Alamalhodaei

COMT, OSC, CEP

Sharon is a nationally recognized leader in ophthalmic technician training and education. She founded Eye Tech Training in 2011 after 30 years in clinical and administrative ophthalmology. Sharon has held every role—technician, surgical assistant, clinic manager, practice manager—and holds the highest JCAHPO certifications. She's trained thousands of ophthalmic technicians across the country, speaks regularly at the American Academy of Ophthalmology and ASOA, and has published extensively in Administrative Eyecare Magazine and The Ophthalmic Professional. She's the author of three books, including the bestselling 10 Steps to a Phenomenal Patient Experience.

Not ready to enroll?

Start by yourself for free.

Our free 26-page study guide includes the COA® Exam Content Map, all 22 content areas broken down by topic with approximate exam weightings, so you know exactly where to focus your study time; a Day-by-Day Study Plan for the first seven days of structured preparation; Sharon's Mnemonics and Memory Tricks, 8 field-tested shortcuts from 30+ years of training technicians, including the "Dollars and Cents" trick; and much, much more.
Download Now
The COA® Exam Starter Kit

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How long do I have to complete a course?

    The COA® course gives you 6 months of access. The COT® course is also 6 months, and the COMT® course gives you 9 months. That's plenty of time to study at your own pace, even if you're working full-time.

  • What if I don't pass my exam?

    Our courses are designed to help you pass on your first attempt, and our students' track record reflects that. If you need more time to study, contact us about extending your access.

  • I'm not certified yet. Which course should I start with?

    Start with the COA® Exam Prep Course. The COA® (Certified Ophthalmic Assistant) is the entry-level certification and the foundation for the COT® and COMT.® Not sure you're ready? Download our free COA® Exam Starter Kit to see where you stand.

  • I'm a practice manager. Can I buy courses for my whole team?

    Absolutely. You'll have the option to add multiple seats at checkout.

  • How are your courses different from free YouTube videos or textbooks?

    Our courses are structured exam prep — narrated lessons in the order you need them, quizzes, clinical pearls from working technologists, and personal tutoring when you get stuck. Free resources can supplement your study, but they can't replace a guided curriculum built by people who've taken and taught these exams for decades.