Are Opticians (lower tier/non-mangerial) not appreciated enough ?

[tx11]

HI MakeOptics. I thought you might say that based on your previous statement. I think that is what frustrates many who consider this field an allied healthcare profession. As long as anybody can do it..anybody will be hired to do it. I would expect it in a national chain retailer (though it doesn't have to be) but would hope that attitude would not be present in a private practice centered around an ODs/OMDs reputation.

[tx11]

Hi Craig. I agree that being personable and trustworthy are important traits to look for in an employee. But it would be nice if a solid under standing of optical dispensing was required before the other things were even considered, when it came to hiring an optical dispenser.

[tx11]

A medical assistant is ill-defined, just like an Optician. Some states requires Opticians to have some minimal background, while others a pulse. People are often offended here when I say this, but the ABO is very basic and a poor measure of anything. If that is a national standard, then we have no place to go but up. Nurses and Dental Hygienists long ago passed us up. There is no comparison to what a typical Optician does to the advanced things RNs, and even some LPNs do every day. The typical Optician takes a PD, measures a seg height and takes the money when the order is complete. They have little understanding of how the Rx affects the visual system and it is a shame. It is not their fault, however, but the fault of a continually declining system that has failed them. An example. I was recently asked for help from a couple of folks who has been unable to pass the boards in my state. Granted NC has a very rigorous board, but still they had multiple attempts and after their 3.5- 4 year "apprenticeship" and internship training program and completion of a 6-course certificate at Durham Tech could not understand basic optical principles. Their supervising Optician long ago forgot that kind of stuff since they rarely use it they indicated. You get the picture.

Now, they can go over to Alabama, and as long as sales are good (it makes little difference if they understand the affect of what they are selling/recommending) they are the top dogs! Alabama like 26 other states requires no license. Now, are there knowledge Opticians there? I am sure there are. I am sure most think they are. I have never met one who thought they were not, until they were asked a simple question and could not solve it.

So, until Opticians wake up, and there are several of us who have taken a lot of heat for trying to tell them this for years (and you will see some of that in the responses to this post very soon) and have mandated formal education that provides common ground across the nation, and licensure in every state we will continue to decline. We must also seek to expand what we do beyond that simple PD and seg height. We can do more, and should, but the vision has to be more than mine, or Roy, or Duffy, or any individual. It has to be all moving towards the same goal. Is licensure realistic? Probably not. It is probably too late for what used to be a valiant profession, but I continue to hope for the best.

You asked a question about the level of appreciation of the American Optician. I just may be equal to the amount of dues we pay to enter the field, don't you think? If you really look at income, the average Optician in this country makes about 40K, and managing Opticians much more, with high school diplomas being the major level of education. Similar, if not more, to teachers. We have to get real about ourselves to improve. But think about this. About a third have Associate Degree, and/or 2-years of college of some sort. 16% a 4-year degree and 5% a grad degree. Man, if we just start to establish some standards we could really improve the field as a whole and move us forward. Then if we found some common ground......just maybe, we could start to move forward slowly rather than decline for a change.

HI wmcdonald. The ABO is a good basic standard for entry into the field though. MANY of the non-ABOCs already dispensing eyewear to the public have failed it (some more than once)and YET ARE STILL DISPENSING.

[MakeOptics]

HI MakeOptics. I thought you might say that based on your previous statement. I think that is what frustrates many who consider this field an allied healthcare profession. As long as anybody can do it..anybody will be hired to do it. I would expect it in a national chain retailer (though it doesn't have to be) but would hope that attitude would not be present in a private practice centered around an ODs/OMDs reputation.

Its an honest answer not a good one. Time and time again you will see sales people advance over the knowledgeable optician, so if you want to be successful focus on improving sales, the optics are easy so easy that book after book is written to teach the most rudimentary optics.

If you think knowledge is key, go into work on Monday and ask the opticians in your office to write down Snell's law, the backbone of ophthalmic optics then come back here and give us a percentage of those that accurately supplied you a formula. Every single formula I have learned has been derived from this one law and you'd be hard pressed to get 100% of opticians knowing it.

Example number 2, me nose to the books memorizing every formula old and new deriving them from the most basic variables, ray tracing just for $hits and giggles. That guy worked 60+ hours a week, every weekend and late night for low pay even went on to work for a large company and made even less working longer hours and harder.

Switched gears focused on what I do best selling glasses to consumers. Now I work in a prestigious practice in my area making decent money, 401K, NEVER work a weekend and feel bushed if I break 38 hours a week.

[wmcdonald]

Until some requirements established across all borders, there is little we can do about it.

[Speed]

Everyone is doing unappreciated, underpaid work. You must learn to appreciate yourself.

[tx11]

Its an honest answer not a good one. Time and time again you will see sales people advance over the knowledgeable optician, so if you want to be successful focus on improving sales, the optics are easy so easy that book after book is written to teach the most rudimentary optics.

If you think knowledge is key, go into work on Monday and ask the opticians in your office to write down Snell's law, the backbone of ophthalmic optics then come back here and give us a percentage of those that accurately supplied you a formula. Every single formula I have learned has been derived from this one law and you'd be hard pressed to get 100% of opticians knowing it.

Example number 2, me nose to the books memorizing every formula old and new deriving them from the most basic variables, ray tracing just for $hits and giggles. That guy worked 60+ hours a week, every weekend and late night for low pay even went on to work for a large company and made even less working longer hours and harder.

Switched gears focused on what I do best selling glasses to consumers. Now I work in a prestigious practice in my area making decent money, 401K, NEVER work a weekend and feel bushed if I break 38 hours a week.

Thanks for your honest answer. It has been said that for any industry ..nothing happens until something is sold. I would ask this though ..since rudimentary optical dispensing is so easy to learn don't you think ALL dispensers should at least have the BASIC ABO certification? Im not talkin' AC or ABOM.

[MakeOptics]

Thanks for your honest answer. It has been said that for any industry ..nothing happens until something is sold. I would ask this though ..since rudimentary optical dispensing is so easy to learn don't you think ALL dispensers should at least have the BASIC ABO certification? Im not talkin' AC or ABOM.

What difference does a certification make. Lets say sure every optician has to have a certification.

[tx11]

I would hope it would do what any certification does...verify that the individual holding it is at least minimally qualified to perform the task that the certification is associated with. For opticians it would certainly make us more appreciated by employers (see OP) and it would possibly increase our pay and make for a more educated (proven by passing)optician. Don't ya think?

[m0002a]

What difference does a certification make. Lets say sure every optician has to have a certification.

There are a lot of certification tests that can be taken online from home (you know what that means) and the exams are not that difficult to begin with.

[CCGREEN]

tx11 I agree with what you are saying but what are you going to do to put some teeth into it?
You would have to somehow prohibit anyone with no experience from doing these "rudimentary" task. Only then will you greatly increase your value. Having all the education and certification in the world is useless if employeers are allowed to let yesterdays burger flipper is allowed to come and pretend they know what they are doing.

[tx11]

Until then we will have to become expert "upsellers" I guess .

[MakeOptics]

I would hope it would do what any certification does...verify that the individual holding it is at least minimally qualified to perform the task that the certification is associated with. For opticians it would certainly make us more appreciated by employers (see OP) and it would possibly increase our pay and make for a more educated (proven by passing)optician. Don't ya think?

It's 100 multiple choice questions (4 answers each). A drivers license permit is 40 - 50. No practical, a drivers license permit requires a test to prove you have the necessary skills. What I am trying to get at is the test is too basic. It should not matter that less than 50% can pass it, the test should not be watered down to the pool of applicants available but be a gauge of the skills required of a pool of applicants.

I personally would rather hire a non-certified novice over a certified optician. I NEED things done a certain way and I have found from past experience that passing one test with very little optical knowledge makes for a donkey, not a thoroughbred.

[tx11]

Your confidence in your ability to hire a trainable novice is good. It would "up the anty " though if ( while you were paying them)the novice could not even help a patient select eyewear or discuss lenses on a professional level to the public UNTIL he/she PASSED said multiple choice test. The ABO is a basic ophthalmic optics knowledge test (we all know that). People who dispense ophthalmic eyewear should be able to pass it. Don't you agree? But alas that is not the situation as long as sales numbers are high that's enough in our industry... All kidding aside shouldn't all people dispensing eyewear be able to pass it?

[tx11]

I guess what I'm saying is ...hire the novice sales person...teach him/her optical dispensing and knowledge in a timely manner...get him/her ABO certified quickly.THEN pay them a respectable wage. The real question is...what if they cant pass the basic ABO? Really...I don't mean to rant ...so I 'll stop

[MakeOptics]

I guess what I'm saying is ...hire the novice sales person...teach him/her optical dispensing and knowledge in a timely manner...get him/her ABO certified quickly.THEN pay them a respectable wage. The real question is...what if they cant pass the basic ABO? Really...I don't mean to rant ...so I 'll stop

Why? Is that a new standard of doing business? The way in which I train now is to hire (actually I have a say in the hire) then the 1st week they sit with me and the client and I explain my line of thought about why I offer what I offer. The 2nd week they can take care of clients semi autonomously with me checking over the order with the client present to go over anything that was missed. The next two weeks they can take care of SV and FT autonomously with me further checking PALs. Then over the next 60 days I randomly check a few orders a week and go over the why and why not of the sale. If after 90 days they are doing well they're through probation and working up their own orders. On occasion we still go over the why's and why nots of dispensing certain products. Over the course of 90 days they have access to many resources one which is designed for passing the ABO the others common texts used in Ophthalmic Optics courses. I don't advocate or even mention the ABO, that's on them. They get it and my employer pays just for having it but to date I have seen not one person go for it or even inquire.

[tx11]

Why? Is that a new standard of doing business? The way in which I train now is to hire (actually I have a say in the hire) then the 1st week they sit with me and the client and I explain my line of thought about why I offer what I offer. The 2nd week they can take care of clients semi autonomously with me checking over the order with the client present to go over anything that was missed. The next two weeks they can take care of SV and FT autonomously with me further checking PALs. Then over the next 60 days I randomly check a few orders a week and go over the why and why not of the sale. If after 90 days they are doing well they're through probation and working up their own orders. On occasion we still go over the why's and why nots of dispensing certain products. Over the course of 90 days they have access to many resources one which is designed for passing the ABO the others common texts used in Ophthalmic Optics courses. I don't advocate or even mention the ABO, that's on them. They get it and my employer pays just for having it but to date I have seen not one person go for it or even inquire.

PERHAPS BECAUSE YOUR EMPLOYER DOES NOT REQUIRE IT. There is a national minimum knowledge standard for dispensing opticians ..the ABO. It has been around for years.

[MakeOptics]

[/COLOR]
PERHAPS BECAUSE YOUR EMPLOYER DOES NOT REQUIRE IT. There is a national minimum knowledge standard for dispensing opticians ..the ABO. It has been around for years.

I did not know about the minimum REQUIREMENT please let me know where to pay the fine ;)

[Johns]

I personally would rather hire a non-certified novice over a certified optician. I NEED things done a certain way and I have found from past experience that passing one test with very little optical knowledge makes for a donkey, not a thoroughbred.

Sadly, I agree. In Ohio, a license is often no more than a "license" to coast. Many take the absolute minimum CEU hours, don't keep current on the latest technology, and are nothing more than highly paid pd takers. What I've recently had to interview for licensed optician positions disgust me...

[tx11]

Thats an interesting statement Johns. Why do you suppose that there are not more licensed opticians to choose from in Ohio? Do you mind me asking what you mean by "coast"? In what way would you have these licensed applicants be different? I assume all a non licensed person has to do is pass the board .Is there a shortage of people who have done that? Really...I'm curious

[tx11]

I did not know about the minimum REQUIREMENT please let me know where to pay the fine ;)

Not requirement...standard

[MakeOptics]

Sadly, I agree. In Ohio, a license is often no more than a "license" to coast. Many take the absolute minimum CEU hours, don't keep current on the latest technology, and are nothing more than highly paid pd takers. What I've recently had to interview for licensed optician positions disgust me...

John, what you need is a study course. One man to teach optics, another to teach business (nudge nudge wink wink) and a third to drink all the beer and drive it home. You could create a butt load of opticians since your state is all about the ABO and have a pool of candidates to pick the best and brightest from. Put it on once or twice a year to coincide with testing.

Take advantage of the system that is in place, if you over saturate the area with opticians your labor costs will go down while you make a little dough on the course and eventually either the standards will have to rise or at least the numb skulls that you are currently interviewing will move on to other professions as their ABO will mean less with more applicants on the market.

[Fezz]

John, what you need is a study course. One man to teach optics, another to teach business (nudge nudge wink wink) and a third to drink all the beer and drive it home.

I am your Man!

[tx11]

[MakeOptics]

I am your Man!

Best driver I know. What a draw the Fezz and John of FezzJohns, you would need lights outside, a bouncer, and a velvet rope.