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How to Become an Optometrist or Optician in Ohio

Career guide · Last reviewed July 2026 · By the OhioLicenseCheck.com team

Vision care pairs a prestigious doctoral track with a practical, low-barrier one. Optometrists diagnose and treat eye conditions and frequently own their practices; dispensing opticians reach a skilled, patient-facing career through a two-year program or apprenticeship. Ohio is home to one of the country’s premier optometry schools at Ohio State.

Education

Bachelor’s + 4-year Doctor of Optometry (OD); apprenticeship or 2-year program (optician)

Time to license

~8 years (OD); ~2 years (optician)

Exams

NBEO boards (OD); ABO/NCLE + Ohio requirements (optician)

Typical pay

Ohio optometrists roughly $110–140k; opticians roughly $35–50k (BLS-based estimates)

Licenses covered

  • Optometrist (OD)
  • Dispensing Optician

Why choose this path

  • Optometry: doctoral prestige, six-figure pay, and regular business hours — rare in healthcare
  • Practice-ownership and retail-partnership models both thrive in Ohio
  • Opticianry offers a hands-on licensed career without a four-year degree
  • Eye care demand grows mechanically with screen time and aging
  • OSU’s optometry school keeps training and mentorship in-state

Path to the license

  1. 1

    For optometry: complete pre-optometry + OAT

    Standard science prerequisites and the Optometry Admission Test lead to the four-year OD program.

  2. 2

    Graduate and pass NBEO boards

    All three parts of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry exams are required for Ohio licensure.

  3. 3

    For opticianry: train through a program or apprenticeship

    Complete an approved dispensing optician pathway and the applicable ABO/NCLE examinations, then apply for the Ohio license.

  4. 4

    Apply via the Ohio Vision Professionals Board

    Background check and eLicense application; renew on the Board’s cycle with CE and set an expiry alert so patient schedules never hit a lapsed-license wall.

Pay and outlook

BLS puts the national optometrist median around $130,000; Ohio typically tracks slightly below with practice owners earning above it. Dispensing opticians nationally earn a median in the mid-$40,000s — an honest wage for a two-year investment, with retail management as a common step up.

Both occupations project steady growth. Confirm at the BLS links below.

Where Ohioans train

Ohio State University College of Optometry

Ohio’s optometry school and a national leader

Ohio optician training pathways

Approved programs and supervised apprenticeships qualify you for the optician exams

Schools listed are well-known examples, not endorsements — always compare accreditation, cost, and outcomes.

Official links & resources

Licensed by the Ohio Vision Professionals Board

Read our verification guide for this board — what the license record shows, renewal cycles, and how employers check it.

Curious what a real license looks like?

Look up any current vision care license in the official Ohio record — and when you earn yours, set a free expiry alert so it never lapses.

Try a Free License Lookup

Pay figures are approximate, based on recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and Ohio market observations; actual earnings vary by employer, region, and experience. Licensure requirements change — always confirm current rules with the board and programs linked above. This guide is general information, not career or legal advice.