Dispensing opticians design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for clients according to written optical prescription or specification. Assist client with inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. Assist client with selecting frames. Measure customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinate frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepare work order for optical laboratory containing instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames. Verify exactness of finished lens spectacles. Adjust frame and lens position to fit the client. May shape or reshape frames. Includes contact lens opticians.

  • Evaluate prescriptions in conjunction with clients' vocational and avocational visual requirements.
  • Recommend specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit client needs.
  • Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
  • Measure clients' bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using measuring devices.
  • Sell goods such as contact lenses, spectacles, sunglasses, and goods related to eyes, in general.
  • Assist clients in selecting frames according to style and color, and ensure that frames are coordinated with facial and eye measurements and optical prescriptions.
  • Heat, shape, or bend plastic or metal frames to adjust eyeglasses to fit clients, using pliers and hands.
  • Show customers how to insert, remove, and care for their contact lenses.
  • Determine clients' current lens prescriptions, when necessary, using lensometers or lens analyzers and clients' eyeglasses.
  • Maintain records of customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments.
  • Fabricate lenses to meet prescription specifications.
  • Instruct clients in how to wear and care for eyeglasses.
  • Prepare work orders and instructions for grinding lenses and fabricating eyeglasses.
  • Assemble eyeglasses by cutting and edging lenses, and fitting the lenses into frames.
  • Obtain a customer's previous record, or verify a prescription with the examining optometrist or ophthalmologist.
  • Order and purchase frames and lenses.
  • Repair damaged frames.
  • Perform administrative duties, such as tracking inventory and sales, submitting patient insurance information, and performing simple bookkeeping.
  • Supervise the training of student opticians.
  • Arrange and maintain displays of optical merchandise.
  • Grind lens edges, or apply coatings to lenses.
Work Context
  • Telephone — 93% responded "Every day".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 89% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 86% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 75% responded "Extremely important".
  • Deal With External Customers — 78% responded "Extremely important".
  • Electronic Mail — 67% responded "Every day".
  • Physical Proximity — 49% responded "Very close (near touching)".
  • Read More
Work Activities
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
  • Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
  • Read More
Detailed Work Activities
  • Order medical supplies or equipment.
  • Measure the physical or physiological attributes of patients.
  • Fabricate medical devices.
  • Fit eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other vision aids.
  • Recommend types of assistive devices.
  • Record patient medical histories.
  • Read More

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Read More

Skills

Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
  • Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Read More

Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Near Vision
  • The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Clarity
  • The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Read More

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
Read More

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology
Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Read More