What made you get into the field?

**GAgal** · 03-02-2009, 08:53 PM

Most kids want to be superstars, firefighters, nurses and all those "glamorous" jobs when they grow. You never hear a kid say, I want to be an optician, optometrist, etc. when I grow up. Heck, most people don't even know what we are! (My husband called me an obstetrician for the first month we were together

. It took him a few reminders to get it through to him that's not the part of the body I look at all day b4 he could remember) So, I was wondering what made you decided to join the exotic, lucrative, dazzling field of eyecare? Me, I answered an ad for the local Pearle Vision and I hated it for the first 3 weeks! 11 years later, I'm still in the field and can't imagine doing anything else

**chip anderson** · 03-02-2009, 09:26 PM

Hunger and desparation.

**Judy Canty** · 03-02-2009, 11:44 PM

My career as an oboist was going nowhere. Seriously.

**obxeyeguy** · 03-02-2009, 11:55 PM

...

**Crazy-bout-Optics** · 03-02-2009, 11:56 PM

GAgal, pretty much the same thing. I was a professional T-shirt folder (Thank you Mr Tommy Hilfiger) for 2 years when I moved and could not find a job to save myself. Applied everywhere in the mall, and I mean EVERYWHERE. Dillards, Robinson May, Macys, B&B works, Victoria Secret! LOL and LC was the only one that called back. I jumped through a few flaming hoops, passed their 30 page personality test, peed in a cup, and as they say the rest is history. I did leave and venture into private practice for about 3 years, but some things just have a way of sucking you right back in. I do love where I am at though.

After 7 years in the field I fell in love with Optics in general that I decided to go right into a 2nd Bach degree after getting my 1st in Econ and am now Chem & Pre Med, and have my eye on SUNY College of Optometry for Fall '11.

~Crazy

**Giorio** · 03-03-2009, 07:23 AM

That reminds me...need to go and kick my Bro in the shins

30+ years ago I get a call from my older brother:
------------------ " want to help me for a couple of days? I need some help in the lab"-------------

It was downhill from there ;)

**DocInChina** · 03-03-2009, 07:35 AM

There was another post regarding near vision symptoms. It reminded me of my mentor, Dr. Albert L. Shankman, who I studied under in his mentor program in 1988/1989. I would say that no other educator before or since has had as profound an affect on me as he did.

**Jacqui** · 03-03-2009, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by Giorio

That reminds me...need to go and kick my Bro in the shins

30+ years ago I get a call from my older brother:
------------------ " want to help me for a couple of days? I need some help in the lab"-------------

It was downhill from there ;)

roflmao

**Jacqui** · 03-03-2009, 07:43 AM

I started in it because of poverty. AO was the only place that would hire me.

**Bill West** · 03-03-2009, 07:49 AM

....this business.
It's the only business that you can become an expert at in only two weeks. Ask any Od or MD looking for a dispenser.

Usual ad for Optician.
Optical dispenser needed, no experience needed. Beauitful place to work ect.

**FullCircle** · 03-03-2009, 08:11 AM

A coworker at a now defunct box store told me his friend was looking for an entry level lab tech. I applied simply because I hated working in the women's department and cleaning up the dressing rooms (sidebar...women are NOT the fairer sex.)

Seems I was the LM's second choice. The other girl had..ummm...really big "hands". But I was the one with real, verifiable work and personal references.

I did leave and venture into private practice for about 3 years, but some things just have a way of sucking you right back in.

I heard that! LOL

**scriptfiller** · 03-03-2009, 08:40 AM

I was 17 yr. old wanting money and driving priveledges I got into a local wholesale lab(through a friend that worked there) doing surface clean-up and other "grunt" tasks. 15 years later I'm the technical mgr. (lab and IT) for two Pearle franchises. WHAT WAS I THINKIN!

**Eyefish** · 03-03-2009, 10:23 AM

I fell into it:drop:

**opt2012** · 03-03-2009, 10:24 AM

My optometrist is awesome at what he does, and he really turned me onto the profession as the years went by. I ended up working for him for a couple of summers during college in the optical and really enjoyed that, too. I'm thankful for the experience - when I'm the OD I'll know what my lab staff is going through (crazy patients!) :D

**optigrrl** · 03-03-2009, 11:24 AM

5th career move for me! I was managing a designer RTW boutique that went chapter 13 and there was an optical boutique opening up across Nieman's. I kept pestering the manager for a job until he finally hired me.

I have never forgiven him for that. :bbg::hammer::cheers::p

no, seriously - I loved it. Love the industry as a whole. I have no regrets and plenty of great memories and experiences!

**71pagoda** · 03-03-2009, 01:54 PM

The amount of liability, customer satisfaction, and paperwork for 3 rd party billing. And not let us forget the huge pay scale of an Optician.:hammer:

**Chris Ryser** · 03-03-2009, 02:24 PM

I got born into the optical and have never left, since day one.................and the rest is a very long story to write a book about.

**charan** · 03-03-2009, 02:40 PM

i never wanted to be an optician beacuse all my reletives own optical stores my cousins, uncles, friends i always thought anything but an optician but i visited my cousin's store one day and that was it

learned some things about the business and rest is history

**Ginster** · 03-03-2009, 03:17 PM

Started out answering an add in the paper for a new concept, the one hour super optical store ( VisionWorks ) then own by Eckerd Drugs, I statred out in the lab, now an optician, I absolutly love what I do, I can get a job anywhere in the country and I love the people in this field as well, what a crazy bunch. Ginny

**TLG** · 03-03-2009, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by GAgal

...what made you decided to join the exotic, lucrative, dazzling field of eyecare?

Genes

**Johns** · 03-03-2009, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

Hunger and desparation.

Chip,

The question wasn't why do you want to get out of the optical field!!:bbg::bbg::bbg:

**Leo Hadley Jr** · 03-03-2009, 04:31 PM

When I was 18 my first lab manager told me, "If you learn this job, you can go anywhere in the world and never have to worry about finding a job." I took the job at $3.35 per hour.

24 years later.......Ive worked opticals in 9 states!!!

I guess he was right.

**TLG** · 03-03-2009, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by OpticLabRat

When I was 18 my first lab manager told me, "If you learn this job, you can go anywhere in the world and never have to worry about finding a job." I took the job at $3.35 per hour.

I hope you have been able to maintain that minimum wage.;)

**Bill West** · 03-03-2009, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by OpticLabRat

When I was 18 my first lab manager told me, "If you learn this job, you can go anywhere in the world and never have to worry about finding a job." I took the job at $3.35 per hour.

24 years later.......Ive worked opticals in 9 states!!!

I guess he was right.

$3.35 an hour:D

**sharonm516** · 03-03-2009, 06:29 PM

I like the 4 digit salary with the 6 digits headaches....

I worked at WalMart Pharmacy and Optical at 16....started teching for a local doc at 21.....and once I started teching...I NEVER wanted to do retail again.