An optician’s job involves a lot of on-the-scene and behind-the-scenes work. Learn more about this job description in this article.
When we walk into an optician’s store, all we do is hand him the prescription, pay him an advance, and walk into the store after a few days to collect our new glasses. We never think about the long process that goes into getting the perfect fit of the perfect frame for our eyes. Even a slight miscalculation can lead to discomfort and damage to the eyes. So, what is the process all about? What exactly is an optician’s job description that makes him an expert in making our perfect eyeglasses and contact lenses? Let’s get some information about that in this CareerStint article. It will tell you all about what the optician does to ensure that your eyes are well looked after.
Job Description of an Optician
The job of an optician is not limited only to taking orders for eyeglasses and contact lenses and handing them to the technician for preparation. The technician is the one who makes the glasses, but it is the optician who gives him the details about how they need to be made so that the wearer does not experience discomfort of any kind. Given below are some of the major duties, jobs, and responsibilities that he handles.
- The first thing that an optician does is he takes the details of the required eyeglasses from the customer and designs the eyeglasses as per the desired style and pattern.
- The eyeglasses that he makes have to be as per the specifications mentioned in the prescription of the customer.
- In case a customer does not have a prescription, a licensed optician can conduct an eye test and recommend the required power for the lenses of the eyeglasses.
- If the customer has a prescription, the optician assists him in choosing the right frame for himself by taking into account the style, lifestyle, and requirement of the customer.
- He measures the eye of the customer, i.e., he measures the size of the eye, the length of the temple, the vertex distance (distance between the lens and the cornea of the eye), the papillary distance (distance between the centers of both the pupils), etc.
- After these measurements are taken, he can get them verified by a consulting optometrist or ophthalmologist.
- The next thing he does is either of the following: he gives these measurements to the lab technician who will grind the lenses into the chosen frame or he grinds them into the frame himself, as per the various specifications and measurements of the customers’ eyes.
- If he does not make them himself, then after they are made by the technician, he examines the eyeglasses or contact lenses closely, to see to it that they have been made accurately and exactly as per the desired specifications.
- Once the customer arrives to collect the eyeglasses, if he finds any defects or slight alterations are required, the optician adjusts them according to what fits the customer well. He has to ensure that the eyeglasses or lenses are a perfect fit, else they could damage the eyes of the customer.
- In case of broken eyeglasses, an optician also fixes, adjusts, and repairs them as per the wish and requirement of the customer.
- After he hands the set of eyeglasses to the customer, he also informs and educates him about how to take care of the lenses and the eyes.
- In addition to these jobs, the optician also maintains customer records and performs other administrative duties as well.
Requirements to Become an Optician
In order to become an optician, you don’t need a medical degree. Most opticians hire people even though they have no experience in the field. They are generally provided on-the-job training. However, there are some basic qualities and qualifications required to become an optician. For instance, you should be adept at algebra, geometry, physics, biology, etc. You also need to get a diploma or an associate degree in ophthalmic dispensing or optometric technology. Most states require you to have your license renewed every three years. Being an optician entails spending a lot of time on your feet and concentrating hard on every piece of eyewear that you make.
Patience and communication skills are something that should be second nature to you if you want to be an optician. So learn well and you can make a good career in it.