Activities	Design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for clients according to written optical prescriptions or specifications. Help clients select frames. Measure customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinate frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepare work order for optical laboratory, including instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames.
Outlook	Average job growth
Median Income	$32.800 in 2008
Work Context & Conditions	May work in medical offices or small stores where customers are served one at a time, or in large stores where several dispensing opticians serve a number of customers at once. They spend a lot of time on their feet. If they prepare lenses, they need to take precautions against the hazards associated with glass cutting, chemicals, and machinery.
Minimum Education Requirements	General High School Program
Skills	Active Listening, Service Orientation, Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Speaking
Abilities	Oral Expression, Near Vision, Oral Comprehension

Job Category		Healthcare Practitioners & Technical
Job Description		Dispensing opticians fit eyeglasses and contact lenses, following prescriptions written by ophthalmologists or optometrists. Dispensing opticians examine written prescriptions to determine the specifications of lenses. They recommend eyeglass frames, lenses, and lens coatings after considering the prescription and the customer’s occupation, habits, and facial features. Dispensing opticians measure clients’ eyes, including the distance between the centers of the pupils and the distance between the ocular surface and the lens. For customers without prescriptions, dispensing opticians may use a focimeter to record eyeglass measurements in order to duplicate the eyeglasses. They also may obtain a customer’s previous record to re-make eyeglasses or contact lenses, or they may verify a prescription with the examining optometrist or ophthalmologist. Dispensing opticians prepare work orders that give ophthalmic laboratory technicians information needed to grind and insert lenses into a frame. The work order includes prescriptions for lenses and information on their size, material, color, and style. Some dispensing opticians grind and insert lenses themselves. After the glasses are made, dispensing opticians verify that the lenses have been ground to specifications. Then they may reshape or bend the frame, by hand or using pliers, so that the eyeglasses fit the customer properly and comfortably. Some also fix, adjust, and refit broken frames. They instruct clients about adapting to, wearing, or caring for eyeglasses. Some dispensing opticians, after additional education and training, specialize in fitting contacts, artificial eyes, or cosmetic shells to cover blemished eyes. To fit contact lenses, dispensing opticians measure the shape and size of the eye, select the type of contact lens material, and prepare work orders specifying the prescription and lens size. Fitting contact lenses requires considerable skill, care, and patience. Dispensing opticians observe customers’ eyes, corneas, lids, and contact lenses with specialized instruments and microscopes. During several follow-up visits, opticians teach proper insertion, removal, and care of contact lenses. Opticians do all this to ensure that the fit is correct. Dispensing opticians keep records on customers’ prescriptions, work orders, and payments; track inventory and sales; and perform other administrative duties.
Working Conditions		Dispensing opticians work indoors in attractive, well-lit, and well-ventilated surroundings. They may work in medical offices or small stores where customers are served one at a time, or in large stores where several dispensing opticians serve a number of customers at once. Opticians spend a lot of time on their feet. If they prepare lenses, they need to take precautions against the hazards associated with glass cutting, chemicals, and machinery. Most dispensing opticians work a 40-hour week, although some work longer hours. Those in retail stores may work evenings and weekends. Some work part-time.
Salary Range		Median annual earnings of dispensing opticians were $32,800 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $26,200 and $41,900. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,300, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $50,600. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of dispensing opticians in 2008 were: offices of physicians ($34,090), health and personal care stores($34,700), and offices of other health practitioners ($30,460).

Education Required		Employers usually hire individuals with no background in opticianry or those who have worked as ophthalmic laboratory technicians and then provide the required training. Most dispensing opticians receive training on-the-job or through apprenticeships lasting 2 or more years. Some employers, however, seek people with postsecondary training in opticianry. Knowledge of physics, basic anatomy, algebra, geometry, and mechanical drawing is particularly valuable because training usually includes instruction in optical mathematics, optical physics, and the use of precision measuring instruments and other machinery and tools. Dispensing opticians deal directly with the public, so they should be tactful, pleasant, and communicate well. Manual dexterity and the ability to do precision work are essential. Large employers usually offer structured apprenticeship programs, and small employers provide more informal on-the-job training. Apprentices receive technical training and learn office management and sales. Under the supervision of an experienced optician, optometrist, or ophthalmologist, apprentices work directly with patients, fitting eyeglasses and contact lenses. Formal opticianry training is offered in community colleges and a few colleges and universities. As of 2008, the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation accredited 22 programs that awarded 2-year associate degrees in opticianry. There also are shorter programs of 1 year or less. Some states that offer a license to dispensing opticians allow graduates to take the licensure exam immediately upon graduation; others require a few months to a year of experience. Many experienced dispensing opticians open their own optical stores. Others become managers of optical stores or sales representatives for wholesalers or manufacturers of eyeglasses or lenses.
Recommended High School Courses		Biology, Mathematics, Physics, Fine Arts
Postsecondary Instructional Programs		English Language, Administration and Management, Mathematics, Sales and Marketing, Customer and Personal Service, Clerical
Certification and Licensing		As of 2009, about 22 States require dispensing opticians to be licensed. States may require individuals to pass one of more of the following for licensure: a State practical examination, a State written examination, and certification examinations offered by the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and the National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE). To qualify for the examinations, States often require applicants to complete postsecondary training or work from 2 to 4 years as apprentices. Continuing education is commonly required for licensure renewal. Information about specific licensing requirements is available from the State board of occupational licensing. Apprenticeships or formal training programs are offered in other States as well. Some States that license dispensing opticians allow graduates of opticianry programs to take the licensure exam immediately upon graduation; others require a few months to a year of experience. Continuing education is commonly required for licensure renewal. Information about specific licensing requirements is available from the State board of occupational licensing. Dispensing opticians may apply to the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and the National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) for certification of their skills. Certification must be renewed every 3 years through continuing education. Those licensed in states where licensing renewal requirements include continuing education credits may use proof of their renewed State license to meet the recertification requirements of the ABO. Likewise, the NCLE will accept proof of license renewal from any state that has contact lens requirements.

Interest Area		Enterprising Involves starting up and carrying out projects, leading people, making many decisions, and dealing with businesses, and it sometimes requires risk taking.
Work Values		Social Status Looked up to by others in their company and their community. Achievement Get a feeling of accomplishment. Moral Values Never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong. Social Service Do things for other people. Security Have steady employment. Ability Utilization Make use of individual abilities. Working Conditions Good working conditions. Autonomy Plan work with little supervision. Responsibility Make decisions on your own.
Skills		Active Listening Listen to what other people are saying and ask questions as appropriate. Service Orientation Actively look for ways to help people. Mathematics Use math to solve problems. Reading Comprehension Understand written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. Speaking Talk to others to effectively convey information.
Abilities		Oral Expression Able to convey information and ideas through speech in ways that others will understand. Near Vision Able to see details of objects at a close range (within a few feet of the observer). Oral Comprehension Able to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Related Jobs		Orthotist and Prosthetist, Technician, Dental Laboratory
Job Outlook		Dispensing opticians held about 59,800 jobs in 2008. Nearly one-third worked in health and personal care stores, including optical goods stores. Many of these stores offer one-stop shopping. Customers may have their eyes examined, choose frames, and have glasses made on the spot. About 30 percent of dispensing opticians worked in offices of other health practitioners, including offices of optometrists. Over 10 percent worked in offices of physicians, including ophthalmologists who sell glasses directly to patients. Some work in optical departments of department stores or other general merchandise stores, such as warehouse clubs and superstores. Nearly 6 percent are self-employed and run their own unincorporated businesses. Employment of dispensing opticians is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2018 as demand grows for corrective lenses. The number of middle-aged and elderly persons is projected to increase rapidly. Middle age is a time when many individuals use corrective lenses for the first time, and elderly persons generally require more vision care than others. Fashion, too, influences demand. Frames come in a growing variety of styles and colors—encouraging people to buy more than one pair. Increasing awareness of laser surgery that corrects some vision problems will have an impact on demand for eyewear. Although the surgery remains relatively more expensive than eyewear, patients who successfully undergo this surgery may not require glasses or contact lenses for several years. The need to replace those who leave the occupation will result in additional job openings. Nevertheless, the number of job openings will be limited because the occupation is small. Dispensing opticians are vulnerable to changes in the business cycle, because eyewear purchases often can be deferred for a time.
More Information		Opticians Association of America, Commission on Opticianry Accreditation, National Academy of Opticianry, American Board of Opticianry, National Contact Lens Examiners
References		Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Opticians, Dispensing, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos098.htm O*NET OnLIne, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/29-2081.00