Opticians are professionals that work in the eye care niche of the healthcare sector. They provide services to patients who have different vision-related problems. An optician chooses the right lenses & frames for the patients and has expertise in fitting the eyewear. In short, these individuals assist the patients regarding the best eye care products according to the doctor’s prescription.
To kickstart a career as an optician, the best approach is to join a BSc Ophthalmic Dispensing Course in a reputable institute. It is an undergraduate program that provides you with the knowledge and practical skills required to enter the eye-care sector. We have explained the educational and career prospects of this course in detail. But, firstly, let’s take a look at what an optician does:
Roles and Responsibilities of An Optician
The duties of opticians can be diverse as they can work independently or under the supervision of an eye doctor. In both scenarios, their work revolves around serving patients with vision problems. Let’s check out the duties of an optician:
- Schedule and Manage Appointments
An optician gets in touch with the patients and finalizes their appointments at the most suitable date and time. On appointment day, they analyze the prescription provided by the senior doctor and provide eyewear to the patient accordingly.
- Dealing With Stocking and Ordering
Is there enough stock of lenses? Are the required frames available or not? An optician takes care of all these things. They ensure that the inventory has all the eyewear products in desired numbers. Besides, these professionals order eye care supplies as and when required.
- Selling Eyewear Accessories
Apart from spectacles, opticians recommend other related accessories to the patients as well. These additional items range from various frames, protective cases from spectacles, cleaning cloths, eye drops, and more. Thus, they promote and sell different eye care products to the people visiting the clinic or store.
- Working With Measurement Instruments
Another responsibility of the opticians is to precisely fit the lenses in the frame to facilitate a perfect experience for the patients. In addition, they deal with all the repair issues that the clients are facing with their eyewear.
How To Qualify As An Optician?
One of the most effective ways to become an optician is by joining an undergraduate degree program in ophthalmic dispensing from a renowned college. These programs involve both theoretical lessons and practical training on patients, which provide the students with the required experience.
Read More: MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
If we look in detail, the ophthalmic dispensing program involves written exams, practicals, and assignments that train you to serve diverse patient requirements. The students gain detailed information about various eye problems and infections. Besides, they practice shaping the lenses and fitting them properly in the frames.
Various Job Opportunities For Opticians
To start working as an optician an individual must have the relevant degree and considerable experience of practicing under an eye doctor. Afterward, one can start working at one of the jobs mentioned below:
- Eye Wear Stores
Most eyewear stores have an optician to assist the customers regarding the products. At such a place, your responsibilities include helping the patients to select the right lens and frame. Afterward, you need to fit them together to complete the pair of spectacles for the clients.
- Medical Facilities
The opticians working at an eye clinic perform their duties under the supervision of a specialist eye doctor. The clients get their eyes checked and give the prescription to the opticians. Accordingly, they select suitable eyewear and related products to help correct their vision.
Basic Skills Required For Becoming An Optician
Apart from theoretical knowledge and practice, opticians need to be versed in some basic skills. Having a stronghold on these abilities streamlines the career path for the opticians:
- Attention To Detail
Cutting and shaping the lenses requires patience and precision in the work. Because, a slight mistake can change the configuration of the spectacles, which causes trouble for the patients later. So, individuals who want to pursue a bright career in Ophthalmic Dispensing should consider the minute details.
- Good Communication Skills
The individuals who want to be successful opticians must be proficient in communication skills. Because this job profile involves in-depth interaction with the patients. By effectively communicating with the clients, you will be able to provide them with suitable optical aids.
- Empathy
It is one of the skills that every healthcare professional must possess, irrespective of the niche. One can grow as an optician only by understanding and relating to the patient’s problems. It makes the clients trust your services and help create a better personal connection.
Salary and Growth Opportunities For Opticians
The individuals working in the medical field never lack earning and growth opportunities, and opticians are no exception. After completing an allied health sciences program like B.Sc. Ophthalmic Dispensing, a rewarding career will be waiting for you.
In general, opticians are paid well compared to other job profiles. However, the salary is even better if you are fulfilling administrative and managerial responsibilities. Overall, opticians have a good work-life balance and a lot of job options to choose from. On top of that, the requirement for opticians is going to increase according to various trends. So, pursuing a career as an optician is the best decision for individuals interested in eye care.
Fundamental Knowledge Required To Start A Career As An Optician
If you are thinking of joining an educational program in ophthalmic dispensing, you need to have a basic idea about a few topics. Having fundamental knowledge about these topics will make your academic journey easy.
Firstly, read about the “Physiology of the Eye” to become familiar with the working and different parts of the human eye. Secondly, go through the “Visual Perception” of the eye to understand the vision problems in detail and how they relate to our brain. Last but not the least, make efforts to improve communication skills, as it is an essential prerequisite for effectively pursuing such courses.
Conclusion
After going through the above points, it is clear that optician is one of the best career options in the healthcare sector. We have also familiarised ourselves with the basic roles and responsibilities of these professionals. So, if your work preference and expectations align with the duties mentioned above, join B.Sc in Ophthalmic Dispensing at a renowned college. This way, one can get the most lucrative career and growth opportunities.
