Dispensing Optician
A dispensing optician is a professional who assists customers with vision correction needs, providing expertise in selecting and fitting optical products like eyeglasses and contact lenses. They perform essential tasks such as measuring customers' eyes using specialized equipment and interpreting prescriptions from eye doctors. Dispensing opticians often work in diverse settings, including optical stores, hospitals, and eye care clinics, where they may also handle repairs and maintenance of eyewear. The role requires attention to detail, strong customer service skills, and the ability to manage various administrative responsibilities.
Typically, a high school diploma is the minimum educational requirement, though pursuing further education in opticianry or related fields can enhance job prospects. On-the-job training is common, providing practical experience and skills development. The job outlook for dispensing opticians is projected to grow at an average rate, indicating stable employment opportunities. Importantly, those interested in this profession should be prepared for flexible working hours, including evenings and weekends, to meet customer needs. Overall, dispensing opticians play a crucial role in promoting eye health and enhancing the quality of life for individuals with vision challenges.
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Subject Terms
Dispensing Optician
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Health Science
Interests: Science, customer service, caring for others
Earnings (Yearly Median): $39,610 per year $19.04 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 3% (As fast as average)
Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training Long-term on-the-job training
Overview
Sphere of Work. Dispensing opticians help customers with a wide range of vision problems select appropriate and attractive optical products, such as eyeglasses and contact lenses, for vision correction. They perform eye exams on customers, using highly technical equipment to measure the width, depth, curvature, and surface area of the corneas so that glasses or contact lenses can be designed and manufactured to provide optimal fit, vision, and safety. Dispensing opticians also assist customers who come into the store or office to have glasses repaired, refitted, or cleaned and polished.
Work Environment. Dispensing opticians spend their workdays in eye doctors’ offices, optical stores, hospitals, and lens-crafting businesses. Optical stores and medical offices are clean, temperature-controlled, and well-ventilated. Dispensing opticians generally work forty hours weekly or more, depending on customer or patient needs. Evening and weekend hours are usually required for dispensing opticians in optical stores and lens-crafting businesses.
Occupation Interest. Individuals drawn to the profession of dispensing optician are intelligent and detail-oriented. The most successful dispensing opticians display traits such as approachability, good eyesight, tact, stamina, and effective time management. Dispensing opticians should understand and appreciate vision and have a strong customer service or patient care background.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. The specific daily occupational duties and responsibilities of dispensing opticians are determined by the individual’s area of job specialization and work environment. Dispensing optician specialization includes customer measuring, customer fitting, customer support, and eyeglass frame repair.
Dispensing opticians assist customers in eye doctors’ offices, optical stores, hospitals, and lens-crafting businesses. They help customers choose eyeglass frames based on head shape, appearance, color, style, and lens prescription and complete minor repairs on eyeglass frames, including replacing nose or ear cushioning. Dispensing opticians may also teach customers how to insert and remove contact lenses, fit a customer for artificial eyes, or recommend various lens coating, tints, and sun-protection measures for eyeglasses.
To meet each customer’s vision needs, dispensing opticians must collect specific data. They inspect the health of the customer’s eyes, corneas, and eyelids, review the eyeglass prescription specifications prepared by an optometrist or ophthalmologist, and measure customers for eyeglasses to determine where eyeglasses should fit on the face.
After gathering the necessary measurements and patient information, dispensing opticians may grind lenses and insert lenses into eyeglass frames or contact manufacturing opticians or ophthalmic laboratory technicians to discuss complicated lenses or lens adjustments. Dispensing opticians inspect finished eyeglass products for quality and notify the customer that the vision products have been manufactured and are available. They distribute the completed eyeglass frames or contact lenses to customers, making final adjustments in eyeglass fit and teaching customers how to care for their new or repaired eyeglasses.
In addition, dispensing opticians perform administrative and maintenance duties. Administrative tasks may include documenting transactions in customer and store records, tracking store inventory, and completing insurance and billing forms as needed. All dispensing opticians are responsible for setting up and cleaning all optical equipment, materials, and display areas on an ongoing basis.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. The primary physical environment of dispensing opticians varies based on their employer and specialization. Dispensing opticians spend their workdays in medical and commercial settings in ophthalmologists’ and optometrists’ offices, vision centers, hospitals, lens-crafting businesses, and educational facilities.
Human Environment. Dispensing opticians interact with customers, optometrists, ophthalmologists, office staff, store managers, opticians, and laboratory technicians.
Technological Environment. Dispensing opticians use various technology and equipment to complete their work. Their tools include calipers, magnifying glasses, polishing cloths, hex wrenches, ophthalmic lensometers, contact lens thickness gauges, and lens analyzers. In addition, dispensing opticians should be comfortable using computers, Internet communication tools, spreadsheets, telephones, copiers, and medical and optical imaging software.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students interested in pursuing a career as a dispensing optician should study biology, chemistry, anatomy, and mathematics. Internships or part-time work opportunities that expose interested high school students to eye doctors’ offices, vision centers, or optical laboratories can be beneficial.
Postsecondary. Postsecondary students interested in becoming a dispensing optician should earn an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in opticianry, optical science, clinical sciences, or a related field. The Commission on Opticianry Accreditation has accredited twenty-two opticianry degree programs in the United States. Postsecondary students can gain work experience and potential advantage in their future job searches by securing internships, apprenticeships, or part-time employment in eye doctors’ offices, vision centers, or optical laboratories. Since the associate’s degree programs are located in only thirteen states, those individuals who do not have easy access to a degree program are advised to apply for an apprenticeship at a larger optician’s office. This practice is common in states without accredited opticianry degree programs.
Related Occupations
− Dental Laboratory Technician
− Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician
− Optician
Bibliography
“Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 29-2081 Opticians, Dispensing.” Occupational Employment Statistics. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 3 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292081.htm. Accessed 25 Aug. 2024.
“Opticians, Dispensing.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/opticians-dispensing.htm. Accessed 25 Aug. 2024.