I would like to respond to a couple of recent threads that brought up the subject of a four year degree program for Opticians. I graduated from a two year program back in 1969. I have subsequently earned a BS in Computer Science and an MBA in management. I am a proponent of continuing lifelong formal learning. That being said, I have considerable doubts that a four year degree program would improve the professional status or earnings of the dispensing optician. Here are a number of discussion points for your consideration:
  • Is opticianry a profession or a craft?
  • How long does it take to teach the required body on knowledge in an academic environment?
  • Who regulates and determines performance standards us on a national level?
  • Should academic and performance standards be required to practice opticianry?
  • Should all of this discussion be dropped and a free market prevail?
Today, fewer that 10% ( my educated guess ) of the people performing the duties of opticians have a formal education of any duration, much less two years. Perhaps the first goal should be to bring the great mass of unwashed up to some minimum standard of practice. We did seem to be taking some baby steps in this direction in the mid sixties. However, these efforts suffered a reversal to the point where many feel that today’s “ABO” is a joke – certainly not a high standard that we can be proud of.


We have no strong organization that is capable of effecting educational or performance standards across the fruited plain much less influencing legislation favorable to opticianry on the national level. At present, we have no uniform standards for the practice opticianry in the USA. Some states regulate it while other states adopt a laissez-faire attitude and there is really not that much difference in wages or performance standards between the states.


Where will future leadership come from? Should we even bother?

Dick Baker
www.aerovisiontech.com