Why I love Wal-Mart Optical

[gunner05]

I wish the rule were in place about being certified within a year. I really hate working side by side in my optical with a woman who doesn't even have her GED.

[DragonLensmanWV]

Yes, it can happen anywhere but their refusal to even look at them again is horrible.

It happened at my shop many years ago. A woman came in and said she was having problems seeing out of her new progressive glasses. She had brought them in a week ago and complained and was told she just needed to get used to them. She could see distance okay but reading was very bad.

So I told her I would try and figure out the problem and I looked at the lenses. I immediately saw from the laser marks that they lenses were eye for eye, backwards. I quickly switched them (it was one of those metal frames that they would fit in either way) and handed them back to her. I told her I had adjusted them and to see if that was better.

She was amazed! They were perfect.:) She went away happy.

I think what happened is that when they were tinted they were switched and they were never checked. The distance correction in her eyes were similar. It upset me that she had come back and the problem was not discovered, though.

What I do for same shape frames is when I get the lens out of the edger, I put two tiny notches in the bevel on the nasal side of the OD, one notch nasal for OS. As long as the notches are nasal, they're right.Not to be used on rimless.

[Happylady]

What I do for same shape frames is when I get the lens out of the edger, I put two tiny notches in the bevel on the nasal side of the OD, one notch nasal for OS. As long as the notches are nasal, they're right.Not to be used on rimless.

Good idea! :)

Just double checking them when they were mounted would have been good, too.

[geoflem]

I fix countless other chain glasses at wal-mart free and only get a smile and grin even though some of them are tough. People know at walmart they can get a fix for free,lenses cleaned,adjustments,advice on where to fix things we don't have the equipment to fix. It really depends on how good and experienced the optician is, if its a licensed state or not can matter as well. I have come to realize that some people are just going to hate us regardless of all the good things the company does .

[Andrew Weiss]

Seems to me the problem is with anyone who's slipshod, whether at a big-box store or a small private dispensary. I'd hate to see us stop sharing our experiences simply because we're afraid of offending. The key is in the tone, not in the facts. The main problem I had with your original post, Marc, was the title. The problem could have come from any optical where there's an untrained, un-caring person.

I worked in department-store optical for a few years a long time ago; all of our opticians were licensed and all our work was done by the same lab that made glasses for a private optometric office. The only difference was the quality of the frames we carried -- budget prices meant budget quality. I suspect the same is true at most of the big-box optical departments these days, but I can't be sure because I generally don't check them out (yes, I'm another person who doesn't shop at WalMart).

In North Carolina all the big-box opticals have licensed opticians on duty. They also have the reputation of paying better than anywhere else. And, while licensure (or certification, for that matter) doesn't always mean supurb skills, I'm sure there are many fine opticians working at WalMart, Target, Costco, etc. Both the big-box stores and the optical chains got reputations for lax standards and for putting the premium on volume and turn-around time rather than quality. I'm glad to hear from OptiBoard opticians that things are changing for the better.

[Uilleann]

Perfectly said Andrew. We're all in this together, and I think we're ALL better served by facts rather than opinions as a rule. It becomes very dangerous when slagging another optical especially one geographically close to you. Word travels faster and faster every day, and you don't want to hang yourself with your own rope so to speak.

All the best!

Brian~

[Jana Lewis]

Perfectly said Andrew. We're all in this together, and I think we're ALL better served by facts rather than opinions as a rule. It becomes very dangerous when slagging another optical especially one geographically close to you. Word travels faster and faster every day, and you don't want to hang yourself with your own rope so to speak.

All the best!

Brian~

I think we should hold ALL Opticians to a higher standard, I don't care where you work.

If we ever expect to gain any type respect in this business you need to have the training and the knowledge. If you don't know what you are doing then you need to get out. Period.

[Caroline]

And just fyi, over 500 of the WalMart vision centers throughout the country are actually owned by National Vision.

[Uilleann]

And just fyi, over 500 of the WalMart vision centers throughout the country are actually owned by National Vision.

Caroline, is this still the case? I understood that this business partnership was disolved some time ago, and that all Wal-Mart Optical locations were now completely owned and managed under the Wal-Mart Optical division of the parent company. Thanks for any extra light you can shed for us!

Brian

[Uilleann]

I think we should hold ALL Opticians to a higher standard, I don't care where you work.

If we ever expect to gain any type respect in this business you need to have the training and the knowledge. If you don't know what you are doing then you need to get out. Period.

And well said again Jana! Respect even here seems to run rather high - with the exception of a scant few. This is what we need to foster in our industry among all ECP's, suppliers, manufacturers etc. We'll all be doing each other - and OURSELVES a huge favor in that.

Best as always!:cheers:

Brian~

[Caroline]

Caroline, is this still the case? I understood that this business partnership was disolved some time ago, and that all Wal-Mart Optical locations were now completely owned and managed under the Wal-Mart Optical division of the parent company. Thanks for any extra light you can shed for us!

Brian

Tis true. I like to say that I don't work for WalMart, I just have to work inside one.

[Craig]

While this sort of post can be entertaining, it is actually rather unprofessional and can be outright slanderous. Just a word of caution to be careful in a public forum of just how far you want to take the bashing of our competition. I have worked in many MANY optical settings over the years, and yes, even managed a Wal Mart vision center. Wal Mart may be and stand for many things that you and I don't feel right about - but I will tell you my vision center was the best in a two state region while I was there. Add to that the fact that the absolute best doctor I've EVER worked for is still there. Happily. (for reasons that are entirely his own) We had the best patient satisfaction, the lowest remake/refund rate and the largest patient base growth while there. It was NOT just me - I had a team of amazing opticians and management. It can happen. And yes - you CAN get the best optical care of your life...even at Wal Mart.

Wishing you all the very best

Brian~

I love the passion and am sure you do a good job no matter what you are doing.

Craig

[Uilleann]

I love the passion and am sure you do a good job no matter what you are doing.

Craig

Hi Craig-

Passion...perhaps. Generally it's a thrill in learning and always bettering myself and my skills. At least that's my goal. And in this industry, what was new yesterday, is old news today (in many cases). So there's always a good excuse to learn learn learn! :D

[EyeFitWell]

I think we should hold ALL Opticians to a higher standard, I don't care where you work.

If we ever expect to gain any type respect in this business you need to have the training and the knowledge. If you don't know what you are doing then you need to get out. Period.

I despise an idiot 'optician' as much as the next guy, but we all had to START somewhere. Heck, my first day in this industry I sure didn't know much, but I learned from there.

[specti-wolf]

Not all vision centers located within Wal-marts are corporate..... National Vision still controls some locations.

S-W

[James Peterson]

It's like anything in this Global World of ours.
There is" The Good, The Bad, The Ugly!"
I personalyy know the RM in this area, and he is intelligent, hard working, and a fine Optician.
I think most of us object to the Wal-Mart Corporate Ideology more than anything else???
James:cheers::cheers::cheers:

[Uilleann]

Yeah. Our current growing trade deficit not to mention China's growing ownership of American debt...seem to be the Wal Mart legacy in action. Though I will agree, some of their OPTICAL locations are amazing!

[Johns]

I despise an idiot 'optician' as much as the next guy, but we all had to START somewhere.

We didn't all start out as idiots!












Some of use worked up to it!;):cheers:

[Jana Lewis]

I despise an idiot 'optician' as much as the next guy, but we all had to START somewhere. Heck, my first day in this industry I sure didn't know much, but I learned from there.

Ofcourse we all had to start somewhere! Just like a heart surgeon had to start somewhere! :)

The difference is I want my heart surgeon to have the right training and credentials before he slices me open!

Opticians should have the right traing and credentials before they are let lose on the public. LIke the heart surgeon ( who had to go through tests, schooling and residency ) opticians should be held to the same standard as any other health professional.

What I am saying is that Joe blow optician with rudimetary skills should not be allowed to dispense without the proper training and credentials. Joe, should gain his knowledge and work as an "apprentice" until he is finalized and ready to roll.

does that make sense?

[Andrew Weiss]

What I am saying is that Joe blow optician with rudimetary skills should not be allowed to dispense without the proper training and credentials. Joe, should gain his knowledge and work as an "apprentice" until he is finalized and ready to roll.

does that make sense?

Sure does. But isn't that what apprenticeships are for? I know in North Carolina opticians have to serve a 6-month apprenticeship after passing the licensing exam. Even if you have a license in another state and get your NC license via reciprocity, you still have to serve the apprenticeship.

When I graduated from law school, I had some understanding of the law and of how to analyze a case. But believe me I didn't know enough to practice law on my own. I needed mentoring. So do new opticians. Schooling alone isn't enough.

Heck, I continue to learn from my peers in the optical field. And frequently I'm humbled by the level of knowledge on OptiBoard alone.

I hope the newbies in our profession continue to come onto OptiBoard and ask questions. I hope we continue to welcome their questions and to guide them in finding the answers.

[Chris Ryser]

What I do for same shape frames is when I get the lens out of the edger, I put two tiny notches in the bevel on the nasal side of the OD, one notch nasal for OS. As long as the notches are nasal, they're right.Not to be used on rimless.

Dragon .............Where the heck did you pick up that one ? That used to be the rule in the old days.

It also used to give the horizontal axis position on round lenses :D

[BMH]

Wal Mart has actually taken a fairly strong stance on national certification at the least. When I managed, either you were already certified, or you GOT certified within 1 year. If not, your job was forfeit. They were VERY clear about this. They aslo have in place a rather comprehensive training program, far more in depth than any I've ever seen in any office prior. This was, in my own limited guess, in direct respinse to their higher than average turn-over. It became necissary as trained and certified opticians would not as a very general rule stay long term

This is not the case with Wal-mart in Florida. There is no manditory rule for certification. They do have a fairly good training book that was recently put together but I know of cases where the staff all helped each other "get the right answers" and no one gained any real knowledge. There was certainly no follow up from any upper-management to verify that the employees knew anything more than before. The upper management was most concerned with it being done on a certain time schedule. If you ask me it was done for appearance sake only and not to make employees more knowledgeable.

[Jana Lewis]

Sure does. But isn't that what apprenticeships are for? I know in North Carolina opticians have to serve a 6-month apprenticeship after passing the licensing exam. Even if you have a license in another state and get your NC license via reciprocity, you still have to serve the apprenticeship.

When I graduated from law school, I had some understanding of the law and of how to analyze a case. But believe me I didn't know enough to practice law on my own. I needed mentoring. So do new opticians. Schooling alone isn't enough.

Heck, I continue to learn from my peers in the optical field. And frequently I'm humbled by the level of knowledge on OptiBoard alone.

I hope the newbies in our profession continue to come onto OptiBoard and ask questions. I hope we continue to welcome their questions and to guide them in finding the answers.

Please don't get me wrong. I am not admonishing anyone getting approriate training at all. I certainly learn alot here from my fellow Opticians on Optiboard and I am in no position to say I know everything there is to know about optical or optical related business. I learn new stuff everyday :cheers:

My issue was ( in the vein of this thread ) was that a patient was not serviced with knowledge (obviously) and I have an issue with that. I have an issue with anybody calling themselves an "optician" without any credentials.

I am not sure about your state but in mine you can walk off the street get a job at any large box retailer and be called an "optician". These large chains have fought us every step of the way trying to make it to where you must be certified in order to be an optican. That's why I think it's very important to hold each other to a higher standard. We will never be respected and we will never get anywhere if we continue to allow this to happen.

Hire Joe Blow off the street, teach him, mentor him... let him go through apprenticship and then let Joe PROVE himself and get certified. I have no issue there at all.... as a matter of fact I am all for it!

[Johns]

They do have a fairly good training book that was recently put together...

Now that's what I'm looking for!!

An "expert" that has been trained by a fairly good book!:D:D:D:cheers:

[obxeyeguy]

Now that's what I'm looking for!!

An "expert" that has been trained by a fairly good book!:D:D:D:cheers:

Probably better than a Holiday Inn Express.:bbg: