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Thread: Measuring refractive index of a lens

  1. #26
    Master OptiBoarder Clive Noble's Avatar
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    confused!!

    I wish I hadn't started reading this thread.

    I got left behind with the academic stuff, I didn't really want to get my books out but I probably will now!!

    However, it got me thinking. At least 3 or 4 times a week someone comes to me and asks
    "Clive, what's the index of this lens"

    My answer is nearly always right.

    After establishing the Rx and lens style it's then a combination of weight, feel, smell, chromatic aberration at edges, colour of material, sound when gently dropped and just a general instinct of having lived with this stuff for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, 49 weeks a year and 35 years.

    I'm sure I'm not the only one who can do this!

  2. #27
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    I have to admit, i do think that your reply is very interesting! It calls out to my lazy instinct... I mean, I would love to have those skills but I think that I am a long way off to honing my art to that depth!!!

    haya:D

    p.s. Clive, i hope that you are not pulling my leg...

  3. #28
    Master OptiBoarder Jeff Trail's Avatar
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    John,

    I guess I kind of have an advantage since I have worked both sides of the tracks, retail and wholesale and have had to had to learn it "self educated" but I did enjoy the classes.
    What I can't pound enough into peoples heads is that to really understand an answer in certian lines of optics you have to have the basic principles of optical theory to really get a grasp on this harder stuff.. you have to have that base to build on and it works in layers, knowing a lot of the formula's are great, and having hands on processing of lens is great but you really need to blend the two area's to really get a good grasp on optics.
    I still get a kick out of a lot of opticians who "memorized" things to get by the ABO and NCLE and than when they get that little pc. of paper saying they are certified can't explain things because they have not a clue of the theories behind the answers.. if everyone that came into an optical fit a "true or false" or multiple choice and you had a few selections than life would be so easy.. but since that is not real life they tend to get lost pretty quickly.
    I have probably trained 30 or more people to sit for the boards and probably 90% of them just want the "easy" answer to remember and not the mathmatics behind it to get the answer. Out of all the accounts I have I could probably count on one hand the number of opticians that understand slabs and count again and have fingers left over on that one hand for the number who know HOW to figure the degree of slab! LOL
    Prism is another point where I know a lot of my accounts need help in.
    I wish more people would take the college classes to bolster their optical knowledge... I know a lot of us on here have a pretty good grasp of optical theory but I tend to think we are the minority NOT the majority in our field.. or so it seems with the people I deal with daily.
    One thing I could never understand on here is some people I have seen post that say that there is not a need for further education in optics and people can learn via sponsorship and on the job training.. but that usually only teaches the basics hands on but not anything on the theoretical side and chances are the majority won't learn much more than the person who sponsored them and I can tell over the last 12 or so years I have owned my lab that as a whole we are going backwards in knowledge while the technical side of optics have been getting more complicated.
    Did you ever notice that the majority of us who go off into the more complicated things are a little older? (OK so I'm 37 and admit it)LOL There is a place for coolie cutter and chain driven optics but it's not all that easy stuff when you get into a private practice or low vision or visual training just to name a few points of interest.
    It would seem to me if opticians who wanted to expand the scope of opticenry sure would want to make that next step of higher education a must NOT an elective if you wanted to prove the point... I know that the school (HCC) has 3 or so semester of refracting on top of all the other stuff required to get the degree..and how could someone be dispensing contacts and not know physiology and antomy of the eye?
    Oh well guess I'm just a lab rat ahead of his time.. :-) BUT a lab rat that can refract both in plus and minus cylinder and can wear out a trial frame set :-)

    Jeff "wish more people took that xtra step" Trail

  4. #29
    OptiBoard Apprentice OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    I AM WONDERING IF THEIR IS SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT PATIENTS CAN SEE WHAT FRAMES LOOK LIKE ON THEM WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR GLASSES OFF AND WHEN THEIR EYES ARE DILATED. I HAVE PATIENTS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY SAY THEY CAN'T TELL WHAT THE FRAME LOOKS LIKE ON THEM. I KNOW THERE MUST BE SOMETHING AVAILABLE OUT THERE. THANKS TO ALL. TRISH

  5. #30
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    Trish:

    Get a video camera, let them try on a selection, then put thier old glasses on and let them see the playback.

    Your welcome.

    Chip

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