Bringing Back Relevance To The Dying Field of Opticianry

[Lori]

This is a great topic! I sort of fell into the role of optician decades ago but decided I needed to be ABO certified so that I wouldn't be a complete sham. I took a series of Friday night classes, got an MD to sign that I'd worked for him for 3 years and then took and passed the test. Optics is so interesting and to those of us curious enough to learn about the subject the lessons are boundless. The sad thing is that many offices and chain stores hire people that know nothing about optics. These so-called opticians are trained to sell and take measurements on electronic devices that do all the work for them. Given a conundrum as simple as applying prism, or a slab off baffles most of these individuals. I've had opticians call me from chain stores asking me such questions as, "Pt. so and so wants a trifocal but the middle power isn't on the RX." or " what does 'balance lens' mean?"


I completely support a national requirement for education AND internship for our profession. Without such requirements, opticians will continue to lose credibility and we, as a whole, will continue to be paid low wages.

[Chris Ryser]

I took a series of Friday night classes, got an MD to sign that I'd worked for him for 3 years and then took and passed the test. Optics is so interesting and to those of us curious enough to learn about the subject the lessons are boundless.

The sad thing is that many offices and chain stores hire people that know nothing about optics. These so-called opticians are trained to sell and take measurements on electronic devices that do all the work for them.

I completely support a national requirement for education AND internship for our profession. Without such requirements, opticians will continue to lose credibility and we, as a whole, will continue to be paid low wages.

Very nice post Lori, .......................

You also started in the optical retail as a novice, and progressed from then on after 3 years of working in it.

Maybe you should propose to call them as in the old days an "apprentice" or "optician associate" .