Optician

Optician

An optician, or dispensing optician, is a technical practitioner who designs, fits and dispenses corrective lenses for the correction of a person's vision. Opticians determine the specifications of various ophthalmic appliances that will give the necessary correction to a person's eyesight. Some registered or licensed opticians also design and fit special appliances to correct cosmetic, traumatic or anatomical defects. These devices are called shells or artificial eyes. Other registered or licensed opticians manufacture lenses to their own specifications and design and manufacture spectacle frames and other devices.Corrective ophthalmic appliances may be contact lenses, spectacles lenses, low vision aids or ophthalmic prosthetics to those who are partially sighted. The appliances are mounted either on the eye as contact lenses or mounted in a frame or holder in front of the eye as spectacles or as a monocle.

Salary: $21,000 - $54,000

Education:

While there are no specific educational requirements for an optician, an associate's or bachelor's degree in opticianry may offer a competitive advantage. Opticianry courses educate students in the anatomy and physiology of the human eye, optical fundamentals and refraction. Through clinical training, students also have opportunities to learn about polishing, hand beveling, heat treatment, tinting and fitting glasses.

While licensing requirements vary by state, some states mandate that applicants pass a practical or written examination. Employers may require prospective opticians to be certified by the American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners. 

 

I would not be interested in becoming an optician because their yearly income is very low. Another reason I would not like to be an optician is because they need lots of education requirements to apply.