Become a Contact Lens Fitter this summer in Vancouver, BC.

3-MONTH BC College ADVANCED CL TRAINING May 11th, 2019

BC College of Optics 13-week Contact Lens Fitter training
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If you have already completed a formal Dispensing Optician program and want to upgrade your optical credentials to include ‘Contact Lens Fitter’, consider our full-time 3-month CL program. If you must, ask your employer for a 3-month leave of absence and come down to beautiful BC for the summer, then return a fully qualified and confident CL fitter.
Contact lens fitters are in great demand in the Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and eastern Canadian provinces, and throughout many parts of the USA. Both theory and CL hands-on training is learned in-house with no outside practicums required. Fit all types of rigid and soft specialty lenses, and complete slit-lamp, radiuscope, keratometer, anatomy, follow-up, hygiene training, etc. is included. Our BCCO students graduate ready to pass Canada’s intensive NACOR National CL exams and to pass any NCLE Advanced exams.
See our CL course outline in our school website... www.bccollegeofoptics.ca Call Assistant Program Director Sheree Watson for our free school brochure, or for further course information at (604) 581-0101.

Hey, I thought that CLs were OTC in BC. Why bother being a fitter?

Sad, but sincere question.

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Originally Posted by drk

Hey, I thought that CLs were OTC in BC. Why bother being a fitter? Sad, but sincere question.

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Here is how I answered a similar question from Chris some time ago...
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The dispensing and fitting of eyewear in British Columbia has been de-regulated since 2010. Registration as an Optician with the College of Opticians of BC (COBC) is voluntary, much like was the case in Texas a few years ago. When the registration requirement for an optician to dispense eyewear was made voluntary, many previously registered opticians chose not to renew their COBC registration, but are still actively fitting eyeglasses.

In BC, anyone off the street can now open a BC optical store and sell and fit eyeglasses without needing to register with the COBC. But if their optical store wants to fit contact lenses, then a COBC registered Optician with additional COBC CL Fitter qualifications must be in attendance to do the work (my emphasis). Or if the store wants to offer 'Sight-Testing', then a COBC registered Optician who has successfully completed the COBC automated refraction program must perform that function.

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BC College of Optics trains Opticians and Contact Lens Fitters to the highest standard in Canada... the National Competencies for Canadian Opticians document produced by the Opticians Association of Canada (OAC). This document lists all the competencies required of an entry-level Optician/Contact Lens Fitter in Canada and no one may 'fit contact lenses' in BC or the rest of Canada without holding the appropriate qualification and registration. OTC contact lens sales are not the issue in BC that sales of CLs 'over the internet' appear to be.

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Originally Posted by drk

Why bother being a fitter? Sad, but sincere question.

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Many major Canadian optical chains in BC require their licensed ‘dispensing opticians’ to also hold this additional BC ‘CL Fitter’ credential. A dual-licensed individual will usually qualify for a sizeable pay increase compared to someone without this extra CL credential, and it sure looks good on a resume... a person who successfully completed a formal CL course of instruction, and then passed a voluntary very rigorous National NACOR exam in ‘contact lens fitting’!!

I expect any employee that comes to the table with this additional CL credentials can expect to receive more recognition and better pay than the other guy without the same. Even if he/she does not usually fit contact lenses, the licensed CL fitter can always fill in temporarily for the regular CL fitter when they go on holidays, become ill, or leave the position unexpectedly.