Over the last 30 years, the number of people who wear glasses has changed dramatically. We now spend more time indoors looking at our phones, playing video games, watching TV, and browsing the internet than we did back in 1985. All those activities strain our eyes, which is one reason why the number of people who are nearsighted – and the number of people who need glasses – has nearly doubled.Today, six out of every ten people wear glasses or contact lenses. Aging populations are also driving up the need for eyewear, and so even if we curb our collective computer addiction, we’ll still need more and more dispensing opticians selling more and more glasses.
If you want a career that involves being social, staying up-to-date on the latest trends, and where you get to use a bit of math, then there are plenty of opportunities waiting for you in the field of eye care.
So, if you’re ready to jumpstart your career as a dispensing optician, then here are a few skills that will help you shine in the field.
1. Dispensing Opticians are Style-Conscious
Glasses are no longer the fashion death sentence they used to be. In fact, glasses are seen as a wonderful fashion accessory in addition to being a helpful vision correction tool.
As a dispensing optician, most of the clients you will encounter will be wearing their glasses often – if not every day! You want to make sure that they look good in their new eyewear, and so being up-to-date on the latest trends is important. Customers will be looking for the newest models, and you want to make sure you have them available.
2. Good Communication Makes a Good Dispensing Optician
When a client begins looking for the right eyewear, they want an expert who has dispensing optician training as well as a friendly and attentive manner.
High quality dispensing optician courses teach students how to communicate professionally and provide excellent customer service. That’s because customer satisfaction is a huge part of the profession. A good dispensing optician is someone who listens closely to their clients, takes the time to understand their concerns, and works with them to find the perfect pair of glasses.
Communication is also important when dispensing opticians explain how to properly use, clean, and store contact lenses.
3. Attention to Detail is Important for Dispensing Opticians
Dispensing opticians must pay close attention to the prescriptions written out by optometrists in order to get the right lenses for a patient. They also work closely with measurements such as client’s bridge, eye, and temple size, and so being comfortable with a bit of math is important.
Attention to detail helps ensure that frames fit well on a customer’s face. It also plays a crucial role when dispensing opticians take care of important clerical duties like keeping track of patient records and prescriptions.
When graduates complete their dispensing optician diploma in BC, they know that they’re entering a growing profession that puts value on customer service, accuracy and professionalism.
What other skills do you think help dispensing opticians excel at their job?
