Kim.
Look on the National Federation of Opticianry Schools web site (www.nfos.org). There are numerous online programs. Unfortunately California has very weak requirements to become an Optician, but they do have something, which is more than can be said for many states. The good news is you can study anywhere you call home with these online programs. Also, the National Academy of Opticianry (www.nao.org) offers the Career Progression Program that is a home study course for optical dispensing, and a number of other books and reference materials that offer study opportunities in contact lenses and many other topics. The Northern Albeta Institute of Technology in Canada (www.portal.nait.ca/portal/server.pt) has an outstanding distance learning program that you can take from home as well.The Contact Lens Society of American offers their CLSA University with online educational opportunities, and there are others. Pennsylvania College of Optometry and Nova Southeastern even offer graduate degrees online in Clinical Vision Research and Low Vision if you compleg\te your bachelor's degree. There are many places to learn if you just look, and I encourage you to do so. A well-educated Optician can be very valuable in the right environment.

Good luck!