No matter what educational requirements are placed on ABO/NCLE credentials the fact remains that opticians belong to a unique category that cannot really be considered a "profession".
Professionals in a "profession" generally sell their time and knowledge base to the public but opticians as a rule donate their time to the public.
The mark-up on lenses, frames and extras are similar in nature to any retail shop. There is no "Dispensing Fee" charged for our knowledge such as in pharmacy. Indeed, frame adjustment and minor repairs are often done at no charge. Do you know any doctors or massage therapists or garage mechanics that give away their time?
In Canada, Doctor eyewear Rx mistakes are paid for by the retail opticial and his lab, rather than by the offending optometrist/ophthalmologist.
It strokes the ego to label oneselve a professional ina profession but I would submit that we must change the way we conduct ourselves in the marketplace.
So first things first...opticianry should bein a campaign that from this date forward, no more freebies. Professionals charge for their time and expertise and thereby claim "profession" status. We have yet to jump that hurdle.
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