If you can't use a lensometer can you call yourself an optician?

[Happylady]

We have had a lot of turnover where I work lately. It used to be that everyone we hired could use a lensometer. Now it seems that no one can. Really, of the last 4 people we hired not one could use it well. Three couldn't use it at all.

We hired a very pleasant woman that started last week. She had worked 3 years in a doctor's office. The first day I worked with her I found out she had no idea how to use a lensometer. She told me that doctor always did it where she worked.

I didn't ask, but thought later about how they checked jobs in from the lab. Did the doctor do it or maybe it wasn't done. What if a patient came back with a problem with their glasses?

She also couldn't transpose a prescription. A patient came in with a new RX written in plus and asked how it had changed from her old one, which was written in minus. She didn't know how to do it and had to ask me. :(

So is a person an optician if she/he can't use a lensometer and understand simple things like reading a prescription?

[Jacqui]

So Is A Person An Optician If She/he Can't Use A Lensometer And Understand Simple Things Like Reading A Prescription?

no !!

[Jedi]

nope.

[Happylady]

In Texas they can call themselves an optician. :(

[Jacqui]

In Texas they can call themselves an optician. :(

That should be illegal

[CME4SPECS]

And you shouldn't be able to call yourself an optician just because you can use a lensometer!

[HarryChiling]

So is a person an optician if she/he can't use a lensometer and understand simple things like reading a prescription?

No, here's why:

She had worked 3 years in a doctor's office.

That means she's an optometric technician.

[Happylady]

That means she's an optometric technician.

Wouldn't that be an optometric assistant? I believe she did all the dispensing for this doctor.

[ikon44]

in the uk optician is a protected title,therefore you have to be registered and professionally qualified to use the title,the non qualified call themselves optical assistants.

[Ginster]

And you shouldn't be able to call yourself an optician just because you can use a lensometer!

In the state of Texas, there is no licensing, certification is voluntary, yes I would like to see licensing and everyone ABOC, but because there is'nt it doesnt mean we are not opticians, some of us are and we are very good at what we do.

[Judy Canty]

Yikes!!!!!

[Happylady]

In the state of Texas, there is no licensing, certification is voluntary, yes I would like to see licensing and everyone ABOC, but because there is'nt it doesnt mean we are not opticians, some of us are and we are very good at what we do.

I agree that there are many excellent opticians in Texas that are not certified.

[HarryChiling]

Wouldn't that be an optometric assistant? I believe she did all the dispensing for this doctor.

Sure whatever they like to call it, but someone hired and trained to dispense by an Optometrist or an Ophthalmologist has a seperate profession entirely their own. Under an Optometrist they are Paraoptometrics (Paroptometric, Assistant, and Technician) and under an Ophthalmologist they are Ophthalmic Medical Personell (Assistant, Technician, and Technologist).

[Happylady]

Sure whatever they like to call it, but someone hired and trained to dispense by an Optometrist or an Ophthalmologist has a seperate profession entirely their own. Under an Optometrist they are Paraoptometrics (Paroptometric, Assistant, and Technician) and under an Ophthalmologist they are Ophthalmic Medical Personell (Assistant, Technician, and Technologist).

Hmmm, I work for an optometrist and call myself an optician.

[HarryChiling]

Hmmm, I work for an optometrist and call myself an optician.

I work for an optometrists and call myself an optician as well. It's not meant to be offensive, but an optician has the abilities to practice opticianry on their own, we are a profession that can practice independently, partly why we get chastised so much. An optometric assistant and ophthalmic assistant don't, if they are only trained to a level that they have to be attached by umbilical cord to their doctors or other professionals then they are not opticians.

Actually they may not even be considered on of those other professions:

The COA entry level Ophthalmic Assistant must pass a test with 17% of the questions based on lensometry so if they don't know how to perform it they better be tip top in every other area, and by the lack of transposition I could tell you they don't have many more questions to get wrong before they can't even call themselves a ophthalmic medical personnel.

The Paraoptometric at their lowest levels are required to pass a test with 22% of it as ophthalmic optics, which is furtehr broken into 3 sections with ophthalmic lenses (neutralization) and ophthalmic prescription (transposing) as 2 of the three sections which she would not pass , assumeing a even split that's 15% of the test almost off the bat being wrong, less of a chance here of being a paraoptometric.

The National Opticianry Competency Exam or ABO as commonly refered to has 53% of the test comprised of analyzing and interpreting prescriptions (transposing) and 16% of the use of standard ophthalmic equipment. Basically not a shot in h*ll of calling herself an optician, maybe a paraoptometric or maybe an OMP, but I doubt that as well. Call her and opticiasn assistant if she's askign you questions.

[cocoisland58]

[quote=Happylady;247221] of the last 4 people we hired not one could use it well. Three couldn't use it at all.
We hired a very pleasant woman that started last week. She had worked 3 years in a doctor's office. The first day I worked with her I found out she had no idea how to use a lensometer. [quote]

So teach her. If she's pleasant and hardworking she could end up being a valuable employee. She can call herself whatever she wants but she obviously doesn't have enough training to be an optician. Just because no one has taken the time to train her or she has been intimidated from learning by former employers doesn't mean she can't start learning now. I'd rather hire a decent employee who was willing learn than a trained one who caused other issues in the office.

[HarryChiling]

She can call herself whatever she wants but she obviously doesn't have enough training to be an optician. Just because no one has taken the time to train her or she has been intimidated from learning by former employers doesn't mean she can't start learning now. I'd rather hire a decent employee who was willing learn than a trained one who caused other issues in the office.

:cheers:

[Happylady]

[quote=cocoisland58;247295]

So teach her. If she's pleasant and hardworking she could end up being a valuable employee. She can call herself whatever she wants but she obviously doesn't have enough training to be an optician. Just because no one has taken the time to train her or she has been intimidated from learning by former employers doesn't mean she can't start learning now. I'd rather hire a decent employee who was willing learn than a trained one who caused other issues in the office.

Oh, I told her I would be glad to teach her. I taught one of the other employees to use it. She was very eager to learn. She had a hard time understanding the math and I used quarters to help her understand. When it clicked her eyes lit up and she was so excited.

[chip anderson]

Acutally the highest paid, optical shop owner who sells the most expensive glasses, get all the exclusive lines, and is on the Vision Counsel of America in our vicinity can't read a lensometer, can't adjust a frame, etc.
He also uses the cheapest lenses he can find, tells the patient they came from California and changes more for his lenses that we get for the best grades of Hoya, etc.

But appearently when he goes to bank, he's a lot better optician than the rest of us.

Chip

[Myeyeonyou]

In the office I just started at they only use an auto lensometer and no one knows how to use a manual lensometer. I have asked to get a manual and feel lost with out it. But I fear that this is the trend now to have all this automatic equipment because people do not know how to use the "older" equipment.

[HarryChiling]

In the office I just started at they only use an auto lensometer and no one knows how to use a manual lensometer. I have asked to get a manual and feel lost with out it. But I fear that this is the trend now to have all this automatic equipment because people do not know how to use the "older" equipment.

And since the autolensmeters use a red laser in lieu of the standard yellow reference wavelegth we use in refraction and everywhere else in the industry, unless they are changing the material settings which I see very few offices doing they are getting readings that are off.

[OpticianVlad]

I just started working for an optometrist this week. It's a large office and very sophisticated in my opinion. They have been in business for over 15 years and have never worked with an optician in the past. Monday was my first day there and I noticed they don't have a manual lensometer. They use digital lensometers in the office.

This makes me feel rather uncomfortable, since I can only trust an Rx I can focus on and see with my own eyes.

[Jubilee]

See.. right now I am jealous.. you found an associate worth hiring! I would gladly teach someone with the right attitude, aptitude, and fortitude.. than to have some of these people who can't even manage to show up to an interview on time and in work appropriate attire. :/


Best one on paper didn't show up for interview, best interviewee didn't return follow up call, the next best one didn't show up for the 2nd interview on time, nor did she wear appropriate attire and the other potential candidate had to cancel her "working interview" due to family issues...

This is the top four in looking for 2 almost 3 months..
*sigh*

[THE MEB]

this is the definition of optician according to random house unabridged

op·ti·cian Audio Help/ɒpˈtɪʃən/Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[op-tish-uhn]Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation–noun 1.a person who makes or sells eyeglasses and, usually, contact lenses, for remedying defects of vision in accordance with the prescriptions of ophthalmologists and optometrists. 2.a maker or seller of optical glass and instruments.
[Origin: 1680–90; < F opticien < ML optic(a) (see optics) + F -ien -ian]

—Synonyms 1. See eye doctor.


Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

[cocoisland58]

[quote=Happylady;247318]

When it clicked her eyes lit up and she was so excited.

I still remember the very moment when it "clicked" for me, and that was a long time ago. Good job Happylady.