What Does it Take to Be a Dispensing Optician?
Dispensing Optician Definition 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.
Life As a Dispensing Optician: What Do They Do?
- Supervise the training of student opticians.
- Repair damaged frames.
- Arrange and maintain displays of optical merchandise.
- Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
- Instruct clients in how to wear and care for eyeglasses.
- Evaluate prescriptions in conjunction with clients’ vocational and avocational visual requirements.
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Qualities of a Dispensing Optician
When polled, Dispensing Opticians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Types of Dispensing Optician Jobs
- Contact Lens Fitter
- Optical Technician
- Licensed Optician
- Optical Assistant
- Licensed Dispensing Optician (LDO)
Dispensing Optician Job Outlook
There were about 77,600 jobs for Dispensing Optician in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 15.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 11,700 new jobs for Dispensing Optician by 2026. There will be an estimated 7,000 positions for Dispensing Optician per year.
The states with the most job growth for Dispensing Optician are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Kansas, or Rhode Island. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Dispensing Opticians Salary
Dispensing Opticians make between $24,670 and $60,030 a year.
Dispensing Opticians who work in New Jersey, Massachusetts, or New York, make the highest salaries.
How much do Dispensing Opticians make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $32,660 |
| Alaska | $45,500 |
| Arizona | $37,990 |
| Arkansas | $36,940 |
| California | $42,760 |
| Colorado | $39,510 |
| Connecticut | $52,980 |
| Delaware | $36,770 |
| District of Columbia | $46,230 |
| Florida | $40,290 |
| Georgia | $36,330 |
| Hawaii | $44,780 |
| Idaho | $32,130 |
| Illinois | $37,360 |
| Indiana | $30,720 |
| Iowa | $33,560 |
| Kansas | $30,770 |
| Kentucky | $40,340 |
| Louisiana | $32,310 |
| Maine | $37,690 |
| Maryland | $44,290 |
| Massachusetts | $60,240 |
| Michigan | $35,910 |
| Minnesota | $39,510 |
| Mississippi | $31,990 |
| Missouri | $39,170 |
| Montana | $33,050 |
| Nebraska | $35,290 |
| Nevada | $40,520 |
| New Hampshire | $41,540 |
| New Jersey | $56,780 |
| New Mexico | $32,160 |
| New York | $54,730 |
| North Carolina | $42,200 |
| North Dakota | $33,900 |
| Ohio | $40,480 |
| Oklahoma | $31,770 |
| Oregon | $42,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,300 |
| Rhode Island | $46,660 |
| South Carolina | $37,910 |
| South Dakota | $30,490 |
| Tennessee | $37,720 |
| Texas | $34,690 |
| Utah | $30,750 |
| Vermont | $46,360 |
| Virginia | $46,700 |
| Washington | $44,750 |
| West Virginia | $32,640 |
| Wisconsin | $35,460 |
| Wyoming | $30,840 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Dispensing Opticians
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Dispensing Opticians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Point of sale POS software
- First Insight MaximEyes
- HealthLine Systems Eyecom
- Insight Software My Vision Express
- OfficeMate Software Solutions OfficeMate
Becoming a Dispensing Optician
Education needed to be a Dispensing Optician:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Dispensing Opticians Work
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Similar Careers
Are you already one of the many Dispensing Optician in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Robert Barnett via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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