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Science in My FUTURE Optician
Figure 10.53 An optician assists customers in selecting
eyeglasses.
The job of an optician is a dual one. It is to help
people to see better and at the same time to look
good. Prescription eyewear spans the worlds of both
fashion and health care. An optician is trained in
both and more.
As an optician, you would have a career as a
certified health care professional with two to three years
of post-secondary training. Your job is primarily to
provide eyewear for persons who have completed an
eye exam with a physician or optometrist
(Figure 10.53). While the prescribing physician is
concerned exclusively with medical aspects of vision
care, your task is to help meet both the vision
requirements given in the prescription and the
individual needs and preferences of the customer. You
may also find yourself supervising or managing the
activities of other opticians or student opticians.
The most common form of corrective eyewear is
eyeglasses. Contact lenses run a close second. Other
forms include special prosthetic devices to help
people with special vision needs. As a highly
qualified technician, you would be trained in all
forms of vision care technologies.
Opticians apply their knowledge on a daily basis to
order, inspect, and custom fit prescription eyewear.
There are many aspects to an optician’s job. While
you help to ensure vision requirements are met, your
customer may be much more interested in finding
the right pair of frames. You will often be called upon
to help judge a customer’s new look.
Opticians can work in a variety of environments.
Many opticians operate their own small businesses.
Some opticians work in more specialized care
centres such as hospitals. Other opticians specialize
in grinding lenses and cutting them into frames.
A successful optician definitely needs to enjoy
working one-on-one with people of all ages and from
all walks of life. Part of your training will include
being able to explain technical information in clear,
straightforward ways to non-technical people.
Customers will depend on you to be able to instruct
them in the care and handling of equipment such as
contact lenses. You will need to enjoy listening to the
needs and concerns of customers. As the population
of Ontario ages, the need for corrective eyewear and
opticians is expected to grow.
To become an optician, you will need to complete
a two- or three-year college program in ophthalmic
dispensing including an apprenticeship, which is
often a co-op placement. The practical experience is
needed to meet the requirements of being able to
register as a member the College of Opticians as well
as prepare you for licensing exams. The licence is a
requirement for working as an optician in most
provinces of Canada.
Questions
1. List three highly technical aspects of the role of
an optician and also three non-technical
aspects.
2. ScienceSource Find out the difference
between these related professions: optician,
optometrist, and ophthalmologist.
Light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and travels in waves.
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