Optician

Other Titles

Ophthalmic Dispenser, Certified Optician, Dispensing Optician, Licensed Optician

Design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for client 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 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 other 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.

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.

Service Orientation→ Actively looking for ways to help people.

Social Perceptiveness→ Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Writing→ Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Judgment and Decision Making→ Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Persuasion→ Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Active Learning→ Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Coordination→ Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Time Management→ Managing one's own time and the time of others.

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.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources→ Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others→ Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material→ Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Assisting and Caring for Others→ Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Performing Administrative Activities→ Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Training and Teaching Others→ Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Coaching and Developing Others→ Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings→ Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates→ Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Scheduling Work and Activities→ Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others→ Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information→ Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Thinking Creatively→ Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Fabricate medical devices.

Recommend types of assistive devices.

Measure the physical or physiological attributes of patients.

Merchandise healthcare products or services.

Fit eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other vision aids.

Instruct patients in the use of assistive equipment.

Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.

Record patient medical histories.

Perform clerical work in medical settings.

Gather medical information from patient histories.

Order medical supplies or equipment.

Verify accuracy of patient information.

Process medical billing information.

Train medical providers.

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.

Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Finger Dexterity→ The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Arm-Hand Steadiness→ The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Category Flexibility→ The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Manual Dexterity→ The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Fluency of Ideas→ The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Selective Attention→ The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Visual Color Discrimination→ The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

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.

Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Administration and Management→ Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Clerical→ Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Production and Processing→ Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Accounting software -- e.g., Intuit QuickBooks

Database user interface and query software -- Patient information and order entry software

Medical software

Office suite software -- e.g., Corel WordPerfect Office; Microsoft Office; Google Workspace

Point of sale POS software

Spreadsheet software -- e.g., Corel Quattro Pro; Microsoft Excel; Google Sheets

Word processing software -- e.g., Corel Wordperfect; Microsoft Word; Google Docs

Calipers→ Dial calipers; Digital calipers

Cash registers

Combination refractor keratometers→ Autorefractors

Desktop computers

Eye charts or vision cards→ Snellen eye charts

Half round file→ Half-round files

Hex keys→ Hex wrenches

Lens measuring equipment→ Contact lens thickness gauges; Lens analyzers; Lens clocks

Magnetic stripe readers and encoders→ Credit card processing machines

Notebook computers→ Laptop computers

Ophthalmic lensometers→ Focimeters; Optometric lensometers

Opticians tools or accessories→ Angling pliers; Bracing pliers; Bushing pullers; Chain nose pliers; Cold-bend pliers; Contact lens tweezers; Digital pupilometers; End piece pliers; Flat nose pliers; Frame warmers; Hollow snipe pliers; Lens aligning pliers; Lens files; Millimeter rules; Pickup screwdrivers; Pupillometers; Snipe nose pliers

Personal computers

Screwdrivers→ Phillips head screwdrivers; Straight screwdrivers

Tweezers→ Screw-holding tweezers

Enterprising→ Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Conventional→ Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Realistic→ Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Social→ Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.

Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Social Orientation→ Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Independence→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Relationships→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Support→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.