Alphabet Soup

[Judy Canty]

A friend brought a page from the Yellow Pages in another area and asked what all the initials were after a particular Optician's name. The Optician's ad contained the following: Refracting Optician, PRO, ABOC, LDO, FNAO, CLSA, FOAA. The ad was a bit confusing what with all that alphabet soup. I know what they all stand for and the various certifications and fees paid to use them. I can use all but the PRO and CLSA myself. I'm interested in knowing what you all use as an identifier, if you use one, following your name. Do you use them by choice or are some required by your state?

[stephanie]

Judy the only one I use is LDO. I think when you start jumbling all the letters after it totally confuses people. When I get my COA I will probably use it instead since that is the job I am currently doing. I just want to let people know I know what I am doing.

Steph

[optigoddess]

My state doesn't have licensing but I use ABOC after my name --

[Darris Chambless]

Hi Judy,

I simply use "Darris Chambless, The Worlds Greatest Optician." It's direct and doesn't confuse anyone, and I use it by choice :)

Seriously, I have ABOC and FNAO after my name in the phone book. I put the letters there by choice since there are a few out there that look for it when making thier decision as to where to go to get their eyewear.

Take care and I hope your Christmas was wonderful.

Love ya dear,

Darris C.

[Alan W]

Darris Chambliss, WGO

has a ring to it.

[stephanie]

My aren't we humble Darris? I thought when people looked for an optician they just looked for Darris and then stopped there. LOL!!


Only kidding with you of course!

Steph

[chip anderson]

Personally, I use FCLSA, and FOAA. Doesn't mean as much as it used to, but I still use it.

Chip

[Homer]

My guess it that we are most often talking to oursleves - we are the only ones with a clue as to what the letters might mean.

The public oftern does not even distinguish between OD and MD let alone their other certifications and associations, what makes opticians think that they will be distiguished by any letters or a string of letters?

I think Darris has the right idea: "world's greatest optician" but if you are uncomfortable with that why not say something like:

Board Certified Optician

Licenses Optician (as if there was an option in a licensed state)

or

Supe-duper Eyewear Designer and Fitter with a minor in Contact Lenses.

My card reads "Master Optician" (who's going to take the time to read "Master in Ophthalmic Optics certified by the American Board of Opticianry"?)

Our ads read "Board Certified Opticians"

A little more humble than Darris, less full of self-steam than a string of letters, and yet very proud of being an optician.

[Sean]

I use LDO and license # after my name.

[Homer]

That's easy for you to say.

While I am sure you are very proud of your license, what would you be willing to agree upon as a standad for the Nation?

Would licensed states be willing to help unlicensed states by agreeing to a national license / designation?

[Alan W]

an Associates Degree or maybe even a Bachelor's Degree. So far, all I know that really exists is FNAO, MO, and ABO.
In licensing states its also LDO. What other recognized designations are there for opticians. I know that optometry and ophthalmology have some also.
While I have no desire to tread on past soils, seems to me that specialty and subspecialty certification doesn't exist for opticians.
Please straigten me out on this. I'm not even sure about what Masters are called anymore.

[harry a saake]

For years i have thought all these designations were probably good to get, but one has to understand that the public does not have a clue to what they stand for and if they did probably would not care beyond that.
.....Fact is you can put out there FNAO and the public might think that stands for the FUNNY, NUTTY, AMERICAN OPTICIAN, or ABO might stand for the ANTI BELCHING ORGINIZATION.
.....When i had my own stores i called them what they were, i used my name followed by OPTICIAN. As i recall, not to many people qustioned that. Most people know what an optician is.
.....Therefore i would suggest national testing and licensing and anyone who so passes gets designated OPTICIAN .
.....If in your advertising you want to expound upon any other virtues you have, that would be the place to do it. :idea:

[Alan W]

After the episode of few months ago around these parts, I am of the conviction that you represent a school of thought that I can relate to easily. Optician is what we is and it aint never gonna be any different.

But, for whatever its worth . . I had a rep from a lab (mind you, a lab!) visit me. She is an optician, ABO level, and had an additional 160 hours of cosmetology beyond 2 years of college in optics. I shared her education. Know something? She gave up on doctors for employers cause they, to quote her, "are dumber than dirt" when it comes to the cosmetics of eyewear. Gotta tell you...when she spoke about fashion and eyewear sales it was music. But, you can only swim against the current so long and then simply go ashore for a while if not for ever.

I agree. "Optician" is just fine until a revolution happens, and that ain't gonna happen in my lifetime!

[harry a saake]

As far as i,m concerned Alan if your only at the ABO level your not an optician. Cosmetology is fine and has its place, but its also very subjective. I think the young lady your talking about needs to finish the rest of the courses of study and get her license and that along with the cosmetology will be a great benefit. However with all that said and done, that does not mean she will have good business sense. As far as her statement about doctors, i have to totally disagree. In some isolated cases probably so, but isnt that true with every profession?

[Alan W]

They aint no licensing in Texas! Aint gonna be, tither.
The docs would have a fit.
They complain $8.00/hour is too much.
I agree about the ABO issue and a person still not being an optician.
A few months ago I said that and got killed. But, its true.
I think the issue of the cosmetic training, however, may be a point on which we mutually and respectfully dissagree.
I argued for specialty certification that would allow the creation of a cosmetic optician. Her statement about the doctors is however, true in more instances than you may realize.
Having worked in 7 major markets over the last 25 years I note that its hard for doctors and opticians with clinical background to adapt to and adopt the real world of fashion and cosmetics. It happens alot in New York and LA, quite a bit in Chicago and other places that are called fashion centers or markets. The consumer responds to it well and buys more when they are presented with Calvin Klein (and, of course, others) as a fashion/prestige/vanity/designer item than having excellent solderpoints and hinges and multicoated finishes.
In the designer world its lifestyle, design and fabrics more than stitching. ( I didn't say NOT stitching!) The fashion consumer can't wait to find out what Donna Karen is doing "next season". They expect and demand change. But, in optics, we still hang on to the "use the old frame?" syndrome, even if its Donna Karen or Cal, Geo, or whoever. We sell a DKNY frame for a couple hundred and a DKNY pant suit does,too!
My point is that this lady presents eyewear with the same vim,vigor, and vitality of a couturier on "fashion row" while in her opinion doctors are still on "refracting lane!".
By the way . . . she also lumped a lot of opticians in that group.

Just to be sure you know where I'm coming from, even though I agree a lot with her . . I said to her . . ."Say that one more time about opticians and I'm gonna smack you upside the head!"

We're still friends...hope you and I still are!

[JennyP]

My name tag has name, job title, and LDO.
Recently an older patient was reading my name tag and said "LDO: long distance operator??"

I have another tag that has my name above "Licensed Optician", but my store manager prefers that I wear the one that reminds other associates that I have a little authority over them. jP

[Alan W]

I am in complete agreement with your statement about an ABO level optician not necessarily being an optician. A few months ago I had a near death experience here on the Board with a similar position. And, now that all the Wal Mart store labs are closing I am confident that whatever vestiges of optical skill thay had will be seeking employment elsewhere. And, I'm sure that the transferees from the hardware department will be fine instant opticians! WalMart is death to opticianry as we know and want it to be. Anyone wishing to debate that will receive no further responses from me. Time will tell.

But, with reference to the lady and a cosmetic orientation . . I honestly believe that, yes, it is quite subjective, but then, so is plastic surgery. I feel deep down that a new breed of optican will emerge someday soon that will be a combination of reasonable optical skills (somewhat above apprentice and hopefully a lot more) and a lot of real cosmetic and fashion training. . . the kind of training that is not now nor will every be provided at an optical school.

Subjective? Yes! Eyewear design is subjective. Thank God for Dora Demmel (Silhoutte Designer). Subjective? Darn tootin! Half of an eye exam is subjective. Some purveyors of optical goods someday will come from "Fashion Row" and some will still come from "Refracting Lane!"

The trick here is to set some standards and create criteria with acknowledgement of specialized expertise such as sub specialty certification.

[harry a saake]

:bbg: :bbg: :bbg: Yeh Alan , we still friends, BTW how about sending me your email address as i want to ask you some stuff off the board.
.....As far as the Docs go, i dont think we can expect them to be great opticians as few of them are trained to do so, but that doesn,t mean there dumb.
...What i do think is, that if they sell glasses they should be made to hire a licensed optician, which if they hire a good one will make them more money.:cheers:

[hcjilson]

Seriously, I think Darris is on the money.Credentials are ok....if you've got them....flaunt them! Earlier in my career I got them, but don't use them much today.Maybe its because I have my own creditability and I'm comfortable with that.If someone thinks FNAO makes them a great optician,they will be rudely awakened.

If you continue to learn, and do the best possible job you are capable of, applying your knowledge to your customers, your creditability will come from them.You will be a great optician.....the rest is just wallpaper that shows that you are still learning.

I do not mean to denegrate the American Board or the National Academy who have provided vehicles for us to learn, its just that certificates don't make great opticians !

Now back to the question at hand. I guess I'll just have to be Harry C Jilson F.W.G.O.
(Formerly World's Greatest Optician)

Hey!! Second best behind Darris is a lot further than I thought I would ever get in this industry!