Why don't people know what an optician is?

[Wes]

Alas, my evil grandmother, who tells me I am fat every time I see her and calls my husband and youngest daughter the wrong name all the time (no, she doesn't have dementia), still thinks I'm a baby doctor.

Have you considered taking her on a "trip" to Salem, Massachusetts for a ceremonial burning?

[optilady1]

Have you considered taking her on a "trip" to Salem, Massachusetts for a ceremonial burning?

omg, t'would be sweet revenge.
She will out live us all, I fear.
seriously, she really is evil. The meanest little old Italian lady there ever was.

[uncut]

omg, t'would be sweet revenge.
She will out live us all, I fear.
seriously, she really is evil. The meanest little old Italian lady there ever was.

A true matriarch, I'll bet.....and probably cooks up a mean meal, too! Take notes!

[Robert Martellaro]

In a telephone survey, 2,041 adults 18 or older were asked more than 70 questions on basic science. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Asked whether the Earth goes around the Sun or the Sun around the Earth, 21 percent replied incorrectly; 7 percent said they did not know.

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/25/sc...f-science.html

OTOH, how many O's could explain the origins of metals in our solar system and our sun (after the big bang)?

[Wes]

Stardust... all elements heavier than iron are made in supernovae.

[Uilleann]

Well, the kids who came to see MY classes at the planetarium left knowing exactly where those heavier elements come from! As well as healthy doses of electromagnetism, rocketry knowledge, robotics, living in space, volcanism/tectonics, light/lasers......

Well, there usually was always that one kid...you know, that one. Never payed attention. Maybe he was the one who got polled?

[Wes]

Seems we share more than one common interest ...

[Uilleann]

Astrophysics and cosmology are indeed perfect subjects to let the mind wander through on random lunch-breaks.

[LandLord]

In a telephone survey, 2,041 adults 18 or older were asked more than 70 questions on basic science. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Asked whether the Earth goes around the Sun or the Sun around the Earth, 21 percent replied incorrectly; 7 percent said they did not know.

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/25/sc...f-science.html

OTOH, how many O's could explain the origins of metals in our solar system and our sun (after the big bang)?

Even fewer could say what an optician is. An even smaller portion of opticians know how to fix the problem.

[chip anderson]

Could it be because our customers can't see?

[Mactire]

@Wes:
I know, sadly I have to agree with you.
During my education I found that certain students are only after the certification in the end, tests are made, barely, and then forgotten.
Specially big companies, most of them employ their own classes. A couple of them even leed to official certification.
When I worked for such a big company and wanted to start my eductaion they pushed me into the "company own course".
It would heve resulted in the same certification I have now, but not to the knowledge I have now. I'm glad I took the "real" course!

Now that I continue my education as an optometrist the difference between the two educations becomes painfully clear. The knowledge they have is very rudementairy.

Ah well, what can you do about it ^_^

[chip anderson]

Could it be that people don't know what an Optician is, because most in the profession are sales people just trying to push the latest, greatest, most profitable product on them? As opposed to what will work best for the patient?

Chip