Elgin Community College Expands Eye Care Career Pathways

Elgin Community College is building a strong pipeline into one of health care’s growing fields with its Ophthalmic Technician Program, launched in fall 2022, and a new one-year Eye Care Assistant Program beginning this fall. 

While a certificate or degree isn’t required to enter the eye care field, ECC’s programs are designed to give students a competitive edge. Through hands-on training, clinical experience, and direct connections with local employers, students graduate prepared to step into roles with confidence. 

Designed to meet workforce demand and offer a flexible entry point, the programs allow students to choose a path that fits their goals. The new Eye Care Assistant certificate program is for students who want to jump-start their careers after just one year of training, while the Ophthalmic Technician program offers a two-year associate degree option for those seeking advanced training

Employment opportunities for ophthalmic medical technicians are expected to grow by 20% from 2024 to 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, highlighting the increasing need for skilled professionals in the field. 

Local eye clinics, such as Wheaton Eye Clinic, have hired ECC students and graduates since the program’s inception and have also hosted students for clinical rotations.

“They got to know us a bit to even decide, ‘I want to work here,’ which was amazing,” said Kati Read, clinical manager, and also an ECC alum. She played a role in shaping the program before its launch and continues to see the value ECC students bring to the workplace. 

“This has been a joy of mine,” Read said. “Shelby [Stanley, program director of the ophthalmic technician program] has been taking such good care of the program and training. The quality students we have is absolutely worth it, except they’re not students anymore, they’re my employees.”

ECC graduates Daisy Solorzano and Crystal Monge completed their clinicals at Wheaton Eye, and now both work at the clinic.

Solorzano graduated from ECC in May 2024 and has worked at Wheaton Eye for almost two years. Solorzano worked in the retail side of optometry before she began studying in the ophthalmic technician program. During her time as a student at ECC, Lori Marco, assistant professor of the Ophthalmic Technician Program, and Stanley were a great help to her, she said.  

“They were techs themselves, so they had a lot of insight on disease and firsthand experience,” she said. 

Through clinical experiences, including observing cataract surgery in an operating room, students gain exposure to specialized areas of care and build confidence before entering the workforce. 

Alumna Crystal Monge began working at Wheaton Eye almost a year ago. She started in June 2025. Monge said she became interested in ECC’s ophthalmic technician program because she wears glasses and contacts, and has undergone two eye surgeries for what she called her “lazy eye,” medically known as “amblyopia.” This neurological disorder causes “reduced vision in one eye, caused by abnormal visual development early in life,” according to Mayo Clinic. 

She actually had her last surgery at Wheaton Eye and had developed a great rapport with the staff there since she did part of her clinical rotation at the clinic.

Monge was grateful for the small class size at ECC and for how helpful the professors were.

“We had a lot of time to use all the equipment that was in the room, since there were just not a lot of us there,” Monge said. “ I feel like it was all a good experience.”

To learn more about ECC’s ophthalmic technician and new eye care assistant programs, visit  elgin.edu/eyetech.