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Thread: Have you ever experienced this before?

  1. #1
    OptiBoardaholic
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    Angry Have you ever experienced this before?

    Have you ever had a fellow optician act dismissive and treat you like you're kind of crazy when you mention something that they're not familiar with? A few examples of mine:

    1. Call up my sister shop and ask for them to send us some primadona nose pads. They're response "lol what! you mean push-in nosepads? You don't have any there?"

    2. Was talking to an older licensed optician lady about office PALs. I mentioned that I like to use degressive lenses. She scoffed at me and acted as if I just made that up on the spot.

    3. My first day at a job and I told my new manager what he thought about the newfangled polarized/transitional lenses (vantage) that were coming out. He tried to convince me that I was stupid and that it was impossible. He later called the lab and ended up apologizing.

    4. Once we had a client that had a higher minus and a bit of prism. I noticed that they were about to be ordered as surface, so I mentioned that we should just order stock and decenter the lenses as needed. I got looked at like I had three heads.

    5. I was having my jobs cut at my sister store. I knew the edger they were using, but i couldn't find in the brochures whether or not they had a step bevel function. A lot of our frames were getting splayed out, so I called and asked our lab guy. Again, dude is treating me like I'm totally insane and that I don't know what I'm talking about.

    6. Asked to read a patient's old RX so that I could see what had changed. My coworker couldn't figure out why I wasn't just filing the new script.

    What are some of your stories? Also, if you are person who does this: STOP!
    Last edited by Prentice Pro 9000; 09-10-2018 at 05:54 PM.

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder
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    I feel your pain. This happens when you're a good optician. Once, I had a manager pull me aside and tell me that the other optician felt threatened by me because of my knowledge. I asked what do I do about that? She just shrugged. It is annoying. It would be nice if the other opticians could get up to your level of knowledge, but not everyone is willing to learn more.

  3. #3
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    Jaketull, I'm kind of on the same boat your in. I love continuing education as I'm prepping to take the OAT and apply to optometry school. My problem is that I know too much and I consistently get pulled aside to help out my fellow co-workers because they don't have the knowledge that I've got. This becomes a problem as I'm a full time student so my time at work is limited and I never get to finish the task that I want. One thing that we have at our office is that our older workers don't seem to embrace that certain new technology is a good thing. We had one optician who would put everyone in a piccilo when it was available even if they were covered with insurance for something like Auto II, Zeiss Individual 2 or something to that effect. Same thing with AR. We were using cheaper products just because that's what they were use to and didn't want to change. I've finally given up reminding my coworkers to do POW measurements because they refuse to try and learn how to do them.

  4. #4
    Ghost in the OptiMachine Quince's Avatar
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    I switched from discount retail to an independent retail office. I had two goals for switching companies:

    The first was to embrace optical. I was sick of 'selling vanilla' and not educating myself or my patients. I didn't want to keep pretending that I knew what I was doing. (This was a literal 'thrown to the wolves' scenario.)

    The second reason was to get into the lab. Said discount store did not want someone with a null redo-rate who could successfully troubleshoot moving away from the floor. I think the manager also saw that the more I cross-trained the more likely I would leave.

    Either way, I switched companies and now work with a crew that mostly wants to stay up-to-date. I research in my down time (when that is a thing) and write up or print info for my coworkers as reminders to info I tell them. I do quite a bit of communicating with the lab/ lens reps and like to try have either the retail manager or main tech involved if possible.

    I wear a lot of hats now. That isn't always fun, but I've got freedoms that you can't get with most corporations. The ability to make changes to both the lenses and frames that are carried gives me satisfaction and confidence in the products we support.

    The answer isn't necessarily switch companies- it was right for me- but you can't change people and without a position of authority most opticians that are set in their ways are not going to listen. Never let those who don't strive for growth make you any less than as an optician.
    Have I told you today how much I hate poly?

  5. #5
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Quote Originally Posted by Quince View Post
    Never let those who don't strive for growth make you any less than as an optician.
    +1

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter
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    I have learned so much by always being ready to learn something new and not thinking I know it all.

    I've learned things from people I know more than and people that know way more than me. It is important to stay humble and always learn more.

    Sigh... talk about not having enough time. I really need to study for the ABOAC. I do want to take it some day, I wonder how much I need to practice for it. If I wasn't the "boss" of my office now it would totally be the kind of thing that would off put other coworkers. I never want people to feel threatened by learning.

  7. #7
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter lensmanmd's Avatar
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    I don’t know what I don’t know. If you point out what I don’t know, I will call you an arrogant *******. How dare you try to teach me anything? I’ve been doing this since before you were in diapers! Sound familiar? I live this everyday.
    I will be the first one to say I don’t know, then ask SMEs to gain knowledge to share. However, once I share, I become the arrogant ******* all over again. Sigh.

    Speaking of Arrogant *******, Stone’s Oaked Arrogant ******* is a top notch IPA!

  8. #8
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter
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    Quote Originally Posted by lensmanmd View Post
    Speaking of Arrogant *******, Stone’s Oaked Arrogant ******* is a top notch IPA!
    This is true

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