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Dispensing Optician

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AVG. SALARY

$34,720

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EDUCATION

High school (GED) +

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

What They Do

Opticians, Dispensing Career Video

About This Career

Designs, measures, fits, and adapts lenses and frames for client according to written optical prescription or specification. Assists client with inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. Assists client with selecting frames. Measures customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinates frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepares work order for optical laboratory containing instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames. Verifies exactness of finished lens spectacles. Adjusts frame and lens position to fit client. May shape or reshape frames.

This career is part of the Health Science cluster Therapeutic Services pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Measures clients' bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using measuring devices.
  • Verifies that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
  • Evaluates prescriptions in conjunction with clients' vocational and avocational visual requirements.
  • Assists clients in selecting frames according to style and color, and ensures that frames are coordinated with facial and eye measurements and optical prescriptions.
  • Recommends specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit client needs.
  • Maintains records of customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments.
  • Heats, shapes, or bends plastic or metal frames to adjust eyeglasses to fit clients, using pliers and hands.
  • Shows customers how to insert, remove, and care for their contact lenses.
  • Determines clients' current lens prescriptions, when necessary, using lensometers or lens analyzers and clients' eyeglasses.
  • Prepares work orders and instructions for grinding lenses and fabricating eyeglasses.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
  • Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
  • Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

  • Regular working hours and limited travel

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Registered Optician
  • Certified Optician
  • Contact Lens Technician — Fills a doctor’s prescription for contact lenses and responsibilities include contact lens handling, fitting and follow up care.
  • Licensed Dispensing Optician (LDO)
  • Licensed Optician
  • Ophthalmic Dispenser
  • Optical Technician
  • Optician — Fits clients with prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, assists clients in the selection of eyeglass frames, arranges for the production of eyeglasses or contact lenses and mounts lenses in eyeglass frames.
  • Optometric Technician — Performs administrative and clinical duties to prepare patients for eye examinations and vision therapy.

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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