Anyone here actively fit contacts? Also wondering if anyone here is a retail manager who doubles as the contact lens fitter. I'm trying to get a feel for salary ranges in Ohio for a position like this.
Anyone here actively fit contacts? Also wondering if anyone here is a retail manager who doubles as the contact lens fitter. I'm trying to get a feel for salary ranges in Ohio for a position like this.
Used to be the highest echilon of opticianry with compensory pay. Now it's the equilivant of a just out of military service shoe salesman with no other skills. Other than an as an educator its now the low life form of opticianry. The rest of the field seems to think that you can do more damage to an eye or a patient by having a PD or seg.ht. off on a progressive lens than you can with contacts. Hense the concept: That can be done by mail order now, just as well or just as safely.
Not to mention that the money is now in high tech spectacles.
Chip
So, pay rates are generally higher for dispensing-only opticians?
Maybe I should clarify. In this position, I am the optician, the manager (of a retail office belonging to a small chain--20 or so offices), and the contact lens fitter (optometrist does the refractions and medical visits, of course). It's not an incredibly busy office, but doesn't do bad considering the O.D. is only there about 12 hours a week. Fittings and follow-ups take place all week long, as does everything else (spectacles).
I don't understand why it is considered "the low-life form of opticianry"?
I would think that going to the trouble of obtaining the additional license, tripling the number of C.E.'s every year, and doing half of (what is traditionally) the optometrist's job, not to mention all the additional headache that goes along with it, would have to have SOME kind of benefit. Otherwise, why would anyone do it?
Contact lens fitting by the optician is limited only by state regulation. In an ideal situation the optician simply would fit directly from the refractive Rx. Having to ask for an OK is rather like asking the prescriber to open their wallets and give you their money. Now if you work for a dr or better yet have some arrangement for you to do the fit, then it might work, but that would limit you to only see those drs patients.
Take for example Florida, Board certified opticians can fill, fit, adapt and dispense any soft contact lens independently but require oversight to fit RGPs, so most opticians that tinker with cl will fit soft if they are on their own and would do both if they work in an Multidisciplinary team. Now it a very grey area for someone to say that an OK from the prescriber is required because its no wherein the Florida laws or rules. A prescription for contact lens is what? I think the refraction should be the only point required to start the fit...now does it have to say ok for contact lenses in OHIO? Does it required for the patient to return to the prescriber after the fit? As far as charges, you should charge exactly the same as the prescriber. If you are working for the prescriber I would ask for a percentage equal to 50% of the fit as you are licensed to fit.
Regardless of what others say, contact lenses can lead to blindness even if they are properly fitted. Get insurance to protect you and your license. If you are working solo, protect yourself by having them sign a disclaimer stating the risks and that they have been authorized to be fitted by their doctors but elect to be fitted by you the optician and to absolve you, the prescriber and the optical establishment of any wrong doing for information that they have provided to you and if they fail to follow your reccomendations. I used such disclaimers when I practiced in Virginia. I had an attorney that deals in Malpractice write it up. Have a doctor in case something goes wrong so red eyes and complications can be seen and if that doctor is not available then they are required to go to the ER. Fit mostly soft disposables single vision and bifocals (that is about 90%) of the business and RGP when you are proficient.
Now that you have been informed do you blame why opticians only fit spectacles...some say it is a matter of education but in my humble opinion is a matter of legality.
CNG
Certified Opthalmic Technician, Licensed-board certified Optician (Florida)
Licensed in Virginia (long time ago)
Thanks for the info!
But, I guess I should explain a little further.
This currently IS my job. In Ohio, a spectacle dispenser is not licensed to fit contacts unless they take a second state board examination, and then apply for the license. If you have both, then you are considered a "dual" license.
The optometrist is independent. His fees are his own...he just pays a small "rent" fee which covers the equipment upkeep, etc. He basically has nothing to do with my contact lens fits, unless I ask his advice. Once he does the exam, he turns them over to me if they want contacts. Also, we have people come in with "outside" spectacle rx's (written by an O.D. elsewhere), to be fit for contacts.
The fitting fee is charged as a service, and this money goes to my employer (not an optometrist). (Yeah, I know, good deal for them.) I am paid a salary, and a (small) commission.
I have been doing this for a while now, and would like to renegotiate my salary. However, it's been hard to find someone in a similar position, as a basis for comparison. I guess I can get a "median optician salary" for this area by going to salary.com, but I don't know how realistic those figures really are. And opticians are notorious for not wanting other opticians to know how much they make.
The only reason that the contact lens fitting part was even mentioned, is because as the cl fitter, optician, and manager, I am filling three roles. If I were spectacle-only, or dual licensed but not involved in fitting, then they would have to hire another person to do the fittings. (In this company, all cl fits are done by the opticians). Of course, there are other opticians in this company at other locations who are cl fitters, but most of them do ONLY that....they are not involved in spectacles and not managing their location.
There are not a lot of companies around here that operate in this manner. Only 2 that I am aware of, besides the one I work for. I know that the rules change from state to state, but I thought there might be someone out there who was in a similar position.
Wasn't that the rule of thumb? Plus benefits? I sent you a PM on my own experience. Problem is, years ago I made what the average teacher did. Now, the average teacher makes $ 20,000 more and has better benefits, and has a good pension.If you're smart, always phone your patients giving your full name so they know it . Once you've become established, start your own business.
You said:
........have been doing this for a while now, and would like to renegotiate my salary. However, it's been hard to find someone in a similar position, as a basis for comparison. I guess I can get a "median optician salary" for this area by going to salary.com, but I don't know how realistic those figures really are. And opticians are notorious for not wanting other opticians to know how much they make.
My response:
My research indicates that the average salary for Optician's nationwide in 2005 was slightly over 38K. NAO did a similar study in 2006 or 07 and found it to be 40K, a similar number. Unlicensed states made around 2K less, which is not a significant difference. There was no statistical difference for those who provided higher-level services, such as CLs, in their practices. Salary.com will not provide clear information due to data collection methodologies, but you can always compare to these numbers to get a good idea.
Management, combined with CL fitting is not a bad idea. Today clinical managers are used regularly. An example would be in hospitals. It is a nice fit for us.
Good luck in your negotiations.
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