Navigating the Eye Care Employment Sector

Economic uncertainty over the past several years has led many people to explore new opportunities for long-term employment. Healthcare represents one of the largest and most appealing industries for people who enjoy improving the quality of life for patients and who can handle the frustrations that sometimes come with direct patient care. The fact that there are so many different avenues that can be taken in healthcare often creates confusion for those who are trying to find the path that is most appropriate for their needs. One field that is commonly overlooked is that of the eye care industry which includes both medical and retail departments. Individuals who are looking for lots of room for career advancement and a relatively laid back work environment are encouraged to consider the many options available in the vision specialty.

Most eye care establishments have both medical and retail departments that complement each other. Personnel who work on the medical side of the business include assistants, technicians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists. These occupations represent progressively higher levels of education and training as well as compensation. Individuals who are uncertain which profession is most suitable for them are well-advised to begin their career as an assistant or technician and then decide on whether or not they want to pursue one of the more advanced fields after they have gained some experience. While the assistant and technician opportunities require relatively little education and training, the optometry and ophthalmology fields require a minimum of eight years of college and may include long postgraduate training programs.

For those who have decided that they would prefer to work in the retail side of the eye care industry, the optician career path may be more suitable. An optician is a specialist in the selection and fitting of eyeglasses and contact lenses. Individuals who pursue this field should have a strong appreciation for current fashion trends and must be able to quickly assess each customer's sense of style. There are hundreds of different frame options currently available on the eye wear market and they each have their own unique attributes that customers may or may not appreciate. While an optician spends most of their work day assisting customers with the selection and fitting process, they may also be expected to perform tasks such as lens customization, work order creation, employee training, administrative responsibilities, customer conflict resolution, and frame repairs.

Opticians are an important component of any independent optical shop and they can often be found working in large national chains, small boutique offices, and ophthalmology clinics. The fact that there are so many businesses that hire opticians means that the job market is very strong for individuals who wish to pursue this career path. Unlike the medical eye care professions, the optician industry is subject to varying education and training regulations in different states. At present, only about 23 states in the US have adopted legislation that dictates how individuals enter the optician profession. In these states, individuals are typically required to complete a two-year degree program or apprenticeship before they can be licensed. Many people opt for the apprenticeship option because there are very few optician degree programs available and it can be highly inconvenient to relocate to another state just to attend college for a couple of years.

An apprenticeship consists of supervised training in a local optical shop for a specified number of hours. This type of arrangement works very well for individuals who are dependent on the income from a full-time job and who have a family to care for. Once formal training has been completed, regulated states generally expect opticians to complete either a state or national certification exam. The most common exam that opticians take is administered by the American Board of Opticianry (ABO). Some states may also administer their own licensing exam that must be passed before an optician is allowed to engage in direct patient care.